Search for the Six
by Lady Katharine Heartspark
Summary: IT IS OVER. MY MASTERWORK IS FINISHED. Time for the epilogue! You still want a summary? *sighs* Here goes: Kel and Neal are given a mad quest and must dash from country to country before time runs out and Tortall falls . . . K/N and a plot! Read it!
1. The Tear of a King

****

I don't have much to say . . . only _let the story continue!!!!_ PS. I really like this chapter title.

The Tear of a King

Neal and Kel raced along the hallway to the banquet hall. They barely halted at the door, just slowing down enough to push it open and continue inside. Inside, the hall was filled with people. There was barely enough room for the two knights to stand, and the sound was deafening as hundreds of men —and one woman — talked apprehensively among themselves, creating a roaring din.

The two knights clambered up onto a rock statue so they could see the royal table. No one was seated. As they watched, a small door off to the left side of the royal table opened, and King Jonathan entered, followed half a step behind by his wife and consort, Queen Thayet.

Kel had seen the ruling couple many times, and she was still overwhelmed by the imposing figures they made. After eight years at the palace, Queen Thayet was still the most beautiful woman Kel had ever seen. With her strong boned face and long black hair, she was unmistakable. King Jonathan's royal heritage was evident to anyone with working eyes, and his own piercing blue eyes gazed around the hall. They were dressed simply, but everyone in the room immediately fell quiet when they entered.

Jonathan paced to the table, then looked around helplessly before rolling his eyes and climbing on top of it. He held a rolled up scroll in his left palm, and he restlessly tapped it against his thigh as he surveyed his audience. Jonathan began to speak, and his magically amplified deep voice resounded against the walls. He spoke quickly without being rushed.

"As many of you already know, Tortall is under mass attack by forces of Carthak, Scanra, Tusaine, and the Copper Isles. So far, the only reason I have for this unprovoked attack is a message from the Scanran leader." He unrolled the scroll and read it before the assembly. "'We want the Dominion Jewel." Jonathan let go of the bottom part of the scroll and it snapped together. He then continued.

"I don't think anyone here believes that to be the real reason. For now, we have literally nothing to go on. However, one thing is for sure: this is no child's play. This is war.

"Three days ago, our allie, Emperor Kaddar of Carthak, was overthrown by Carthaki rogues. Since Carthak is only loyal to the current commanding body, they are now completely against our country. The Copper Isles have not been trustworthy since their Princess Josiane was killed on Tortallan soil. Tusaine, although only recently recovered from civil war, is also plotting against us, and Scanran raiders have been sighted all along the Northern Border.

"They have already begun their siege. Pirate's Swoop was hit, as well as Barony Olau, Port Legann, and Fiefs Trebond, Meron and Naxen, along with all four forts along the Southern Border, and two forts in the Drell River Valley. All those under attack are standing, but Legann is dangerously unprepared. Reinforcements are on their way as I speak. The relief forces should reach Port Legann by tomorrow, in the early afternoon. Hopefully, Lord Imrah can hold Legann until then.

"Now, I ask you, my loyal knights, to uphold your country and fight. My scribes are setting up to assign each and every one of you a region to fight for. When you get your assignment, I ask that you leave as soon as possible. We need all the help we can get on the battlefields."

A young messenger entered the room from the door to the left and approached the king. Jonathan broke off his speech, reaching down to grasp the parchment handed him. He took a few seconds to read it, and his shoulders sagged. King Jonathan looked up grimly and continued.

" Port Legann has been taken. Lord Imrah is dead." A single tear slowly fell down his cheek, a rare show of emotion in someone so controlled. "I beg you to help. We need you."

****

Thanks for reading this far! Don't forget -- REVIEW!!! It makes me feel warm and fuzzy ;)


	2. An Unpleasant Surprise

****

Author: Lady Katharine Heartspark

Title: Search for the Six

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the plot, and of course, the characters you don't recognize. Everything else (obviously) belongs to Tamora Pierce, the great goddess who invents everything worth inventing. (except those automatic marshmallow roasters – those are great!)

Okay, ladies and somewhat less numerous gentlemen, here we go!

I may have some of the descriptions of TP's characters wrong, because _someone_ has my copy of _Squire_. (You know who you are. I will get you in your sleep.)

PS. All future author's notes will be in bold.

****

An Unpleasant Surprise

Lady Keladry of Mindelan, sole Lady Knight of the Realm of Tortall, sat at her desk and sighed. An open window let in a fresh breeze of late spring air, ruffling the pages of a book in front of her. Keladry, called Kel by her friends, looked out the window and sighed again. It had been over three months since her knighting, and she had done absolutely nothing.

__

The code of chivalry says I should be helping those weaker than me, but no one at the Palace needs my help! she thought, frustrated.

A clicking sound brought her attention to the door of her chamber, hastily pushed closed so that it wasn't shut all the way. As she watched, a black nose nudged the door open, followed by a barrel-chested, squat body. A dog trotted into the room, frantically wagging a tail that had plainly been broken at least twice.

"Hey, Jump," Kel said glumly. Jump whimpered and nudged at her hand. "What do you want?" she asked him as his nudging grew more insistent. "Oh, right," she answered herself. Reaching up onto a high shelf, she pulled down a length of rabbit fur that had been sewn into the shape of a four-legged animal. Kel tossed the toy on the floor. Jump pounced on the toy and began gnawing, tail thumping a sharp tattoo against the wooden floor.

"I hope something interesting happens soon," Kel told the dog. "I don't think I can stand doing nothing much longer."

She was about to get her wish.

Suddenly, Jump lifted his head from the toy and froze, nose in the air. Kel frowned.

"What's wrong, Jump? You smell something?"

Jump barked once, a sharp staccato. As if on cue, agitated voices could be heard in the hall, yelling unclearly. Kel stood up from her desk and walked swiftly to the door. It opened it on the silhouetted form of a man with a fist raised in the air, in position to attack.

Kel reacted before she really thought about what she was doing. Her own hand shot out from its position at her waist to rap the man sharply in the gut. Kel stepped back into a fighting stance as the man doubled over and wheezed.

She warily watched him regain his breath, then raised her arms in position to strike as he bent his face up so she could see him.

"What is the _matter_ with you?!" the man shouted.

Kel grimaced. She recognized him now. Sir Nealan of Queenscove, Duke Baird's son and five years her senior, continued shouting at her.

"_Why_ do you think everything is an attack? I didn't even do anything to provoke you this time!"

"You had your fist raised in the air," Kel said sheepishly.

"I was about to _knock_!" yelled Neal.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" Kel apologized, her hands in the air.

"Good." Neal straightened and brushed himself off. Now in his early twenties, he was only an inch or two taller than she was. His dark brown hair often flopped into his eyes, and his green eyes usually sparked with mischief. But as Kel looked at him now, his eyes were serious, enough of a sign that something wasn't right.

"What's wrong?" Kel asked quickly. The shouting voices had faded away, but echoes still resounded down the hall. Looking around, she saw knights tumbling, half-dressed, out of their chambers.

"It's serious. Carthak, Scanra, Tusaine, and the Copper Isles have banded together. The king just got word from Pirate's Swoop about the Copper Island fleet. Carthaki raiders and Copper Island barges have attacked them in force. The Islanders have been launching battlefire at the walls."

"You're kidding," she scoffed. When he didn't answer, she paused. "Right? Please? You're kidding?"

"Unfortunately, I'm not." She looked at him and knew he was telling the truth.

"What about Alanna? And George? And their little ones?" Kel's voice was strained as she asked such a critical question.

"George took an arrow in the side in the primary attack, but he's had a healing and he's doing fine. Alanna's fine, too. The children are safe inside the fort. You know they've done this before." He paused as she breathed a sigh of relief, then held up a hand when he saw she was about to ask another question.

"You want to know why the four countries have banded together?" Kel nodded. Neal continued. "They want the Dominion Jewel."

Kel was incredulous. "You've _got _to be kidding me!" Neal shook his head. "Four countries band together to get the Dominion Jewel? What are they thinking? They can't attack the Palace! We can hold them off for years! And even if they succeed, only one country would have possession!"

"You think that matters to them? The majority opinion in the Palace is that they're fronting. You know they've wanted to attack us for a long time. Well, they finally came up with a reason, albeit a false one, as to why." Neal said grimly.

"What about Emperor Kaddar, in Carthak? I thought we were friendly with him!"

"We've had word from spies in the Imperial Court that he was overthrown three days ago. It's obvious we've had the wool pulled over our eyes. They must have been planning this for years. But come on, let's walk and talk." Neal gestured to the hall. "The King wants to see all knights in the banquet hall."

Kel ran back inside to put on her boots, then walked briskly along the corridor with Neal.

"Where else have we been attacked?" she asked him.

He rattled off a list. "Port Legann. Lord Imrah's eldest son was killed in the initial surprise passing. They were caught completely off guard."

"Black God ease his passing," murmured Kel.

Neal nodded agreement and continued talking. "The Scanrans have created a stronghold in the Grimhold Mountains. They've been raining arrows on Fief Trebond and Barony Olau. There were many casualties, but no one we know."

"Poor Alanna," whispered Kel. Sir Alanna, the other woman knight in Tortall, had three homes, and they had all been attacked.

"It also looks like the Tusaines are massing an attack on Naxen and possibly Tirragen. And Father said something about Meron being hit by the Scanrans." Neal shot a look at Kel's stricken face.

"This is big. And bad."

"Yes," he agreed grimly. "Very much of both."


	3. Pitken — or is it?

****

Don't have much to say again, but okay, here we go! Here comes the plot!

Pitken -- or is it?

Kel and Neal waited in line for their assignments. Ahead of them stretched a queue of at least fifty people, perhaps more. Silence reigned in the banquet hall; after the roar of before the king's speech, the silence was almost as deafening.

The king and queen sat at the royal table, conversing in hushed tones with their advisors. Messengers ran to and from their huddled forms, bringing updates and other important information.

Kel turned to Neal. "I still can't believe it," she whispered hoarsely, tears stinging her eyes. Lord Imrah was Prince Roald's knight-master, and her friend. She couldn't accept that her beloved country was under attack – and worse, that Tortall didn't look like it could fight back against four countries.

"You've said that enough," Neal answered morosely. "But for the record, I can't either."

At the royal table, the king raised his head, frowning and looking rather puzzled. When he caught sight of Kel, he lowered his head again and returned to his council. He raised two fingers, bringing a messenger to his side. The messenger listened to the king, nodded, and took off.

A few minutes later, the young messenger ran up to the two knights. "The king and queen want to see you, Sir and Lady Knight." He was breathless and red-faced. It was obvious he had been running almost nonstop. Neal exchanged a look with Kel, then answered the young man.

"Very well. But we've been waiting for quite a long time. I think the king won't mind if you hold our place for us," he said kindly.

"Thank you, sir," the messenger puffed.

"When we come back, you can get right back to delivering," Kel added.

"Thank you, lady."

The two knights walked briskly away toward the royal couple. "Don't they know how to say anything but sir' and lady?'" Neal muttered.

They approached the table with difficulty. People crowded around it, creating a near-impossible maze of bodies to wade through. Eventually, they made it to the front, where the queen greeted them.

"Kel, Neal, I'm glad to see you," said Thayet. A smile creased the corner of her mouth, but her eyes remained worried and preoccupied, and she darted a brief, heartrending gaze at her husband, currently deep in a conversation with his council. The queen's eyes returned to Kel, and she continued. "Kel, I've just had some news. Apparently, there is someone waiting for you in the East Wing of the Greater Library. Sir Raoul is with your guest. He requested that you get there as quickly as you can."

"Yes, Your Highness," Kel said as she bowed. She looked apologetically at Neal, turned on her heel and strode away toward the main door. Behind her, she heard Thayet say, "Now, Sir Nealan, This may not be the time, but I seem to be remembering an incident with a pail of slops . . ."

Kel sped down the labyrinth of halls that made up the Palace. She skidded to a halt in front of the door to the East Wing and straightened her tunic. Kel knocked hurriedly at the door. The door immediately opened a crack, and she could see Raoul's dark eye peering at her. He swung the door wide and ushered her in, saying nothing, with an extremely strange look on his face. He locked the door behind her.

"Kel," he began. "You have an extremely . . . strange . . . visitor. He's right over there." Raoul pointed to a corner of the room. Kel turned her gaze to the strangest looking person she had ever seen before.

He was huddled in a corner, wedged between two bookshelves. The clothes he wore were ragged and torn, spattered with mud and thistles. His beard and hair looked as if they might have originally been white, but they were drenched in mud as well. His shoes were in tatters on his feet. Strangest of all, a bright red, _clean_ hat perched jauntily upon his grimy hair. He sat shivering, oblivious to the fact that another person had entered the room.

Kel walked over to him, looking uncertainly back at Raoul. Raoul gestured for her to begin talking.

"Um . . . can I help you, sir?" she asked hesitantly. "I was told you wanted to meet with me."

The man looked up, gasped, and clambered to his feet. He began speaking with a high pitched, almost hysterical voice. "Lady Keladry! I have looked long and hard since I found out . . . looking for you, the one who can save! I knew you would remember me, old man that I am, for you, Lady Kel, are _special_. You are special," he repeated, then began muttering to himself.

Kel frowned thoughtfully at him. Something in the old man's voice seemed almost familiar. She shook her head and spoke again. "Um, sir?" The man focused on her. "Do I -- do I know you, sir?"

He jumped. "Shame on me for not introducing myself, though it must be excused for I have wandered long and far from where I started, as you yourself must . . . I traveled long and hard when I heard the news, in order to find you, for you are --"

"Special. So you've said." Raoul's dry voice cut through the man's ramblings. He pushed off from the wall and sauntered over to stand next to Kel. From the expression on the older knight's face, he had had enough of the babbling and wanted to get to the bottom of the situation. "Now, good sir, would you mind telling us who you are?"

The man straightened proudly. "Aye, I myself will tell you, for no one knows me but me!" Raoul began to say something, but Kel elbowed him in the side. "I, of course, am me! Me being, of course, myself!" Both Kel and Raoul were getting tired of the man's circling talk, and Kel was seriously considering walking out, but she was still hoping the man would tell his identity, so the itch in her brain would be relieved. She almost had it . . .

The man was not yet finished.

"And myself, of course, is Pitken!"

Kel froze, her eyes opened wide. "Pitken?" she stuttered, unable to believe what he said. But it immediately rang a bell, and although she couldn't explain how, she knew he was telling the truth.

Raoul was just as incredulous. "Kel, you _know_ this man?"

Kel answered him quickly. "He was my mentor, back from when I was born until we went to the Yamani Islands. We were close -- he taught me a lot of the things I needed to know, and he even saved me once; I was lost for a day and a half and he found me, crazy though that is. He was the first one who knew I wanted to be a knight. He was too old to travel to the Islands, and he didn't want to go anyway . . . My mother loved him, she said he was special . . . I can't believe he's turned up _now!_ After all these years!"

"Special," Raoul repeated. "That word seems to be turning up a lot lately."

Kel ignored him. "Pitken, _what_ are you _doing?_ You should be happily living somewhere nice, not trekking through gods know what! You could have just contacted me! Mother knew where I was!"

"Ahhhhh," said Pitken. "My lady does not understand. I _left_. Left your home long ago, but I found out, and I left again. I left to help you, for you are . . . you are . . ." he trailed off again.

"I think he's a bit touched in the head, don't you?" muttered Raoul.

"He's wonderful!" protested Kel. "I just need to know something he keeps saying . . . Pitken," she addressed him, "What did you 'find out?'"

"The attack, my lady! Pitken found out about the attack!"

Kel shot a look at Raoul. "Has the king announced to everyone what has happened?" Raoul shook his head. "Then how does he know? Mindelan is nowhere _near_ any of the attack points! And besides, he wasn't home when I returned -- they said he'd run off. How could he know something like that? And why did he turn up now, in the Greater Library . . ."

"I have no idea," Raoul muttered. "But I'm beginning to listen to this 'special' old man.

"Pitken," Kel said again. "What do you know about the attack?"

"Pitken knows much! He knows the lady is the one who will save, is the one who will find the Six and bring them back from whence they have landed, far and long, wide and stretched away! For she is the one, the one for which they were hidden. For her eyes only I have these words, penned long ago for only her and her chosen to see!"

Suddenly he changed dramatically. Drawing himself up tall, he looked almost regal. Pitken was actually quite a tall man, almost matching Raoul in height. His voice deepened, and dark eyes blazed in his grubby face.

"For long years have I searched for thee, and now, I have found thee. By my blood I saved thee, and by my tears I gave thee away, and now, I will help thee again." Kel shrank away, alarmed. This wasn't Pitken any more. She did not know this man.

Pitken held out his hand. "Now, mine Lady Knight, take this parchment from mine own hand. Know that you alone, and only one other of your choosing, may take this in hand. No others. Now take it!" He held out his hand, and was holding a parchment. Numbly, Kel reached out and took it.

"Now, I bid thee farewell, mine Lady Knight. Safe journey, and safe home you will return." Pitken bent down and kissed her forehead. Kel felt a weird energy jolt through her body. Releasing her, Pitken stalked to the door and exited the room.

****

Ooooh . . . creepy, huh? How did you like Pitken? If you review, I'll know . . . plus if you make suggestions, I just might use them! *gasp* what a novel idea!!


	4. A Mother's Betrayal

****

Continuing with the plot:

****

A Mother's Betrayal

Kel and Raoul stood frozen.

Finally, the older knight spoke. "What the _devil_ just happened?" Suddenly able to move, he rushed to the door. "He's gone! That old man – Pitken – he's just gone!"

Kel was staring at the rolled parchment she was holding. Raoul returned to her side.

"Are you sure that was Pitken, or do you think . . ." He left the end of the sentence unsaid. Kel knew that man wasn't Pitken. There was only one other possibility: an immortal.

"Have you looked at the paper yet?" Raoul asked her impatiently, shaking her out of her silent reverie. She shook her head. He waited a few seconds, then prompted, "Well?"

She unrolled the scroll. The writing was thin and spidery, and she could barely make it out on the cracked parchment. She read it out loud to Raoul:

__

"When thy kingdom comes to mortal danger

By will of two alone it may be saved.

Accept thy quest, and you, dear strangers,

Will search for Six, which all men crave.

"I break away, ere menace blooms –

Mine enemies' swords flash hard.

I hide thy key parchment in the gloom;

Laid among a regal guard."

Kel looked at him, confused. "That's at least twice a 'Six' has been mentioned. What is it?"

Raoul was entranced. "I always thought it was a legend . . . we weren't even taught about them during our training. The Six are supposedly six . . . things . . . "

Kel looked sternly at him. "_Explain_."

"Well, no one really knows what they are. They could be people, or objects, or something else. But whatever they are, they are brimming with powers, magical and otherwise. No one really knows what they are capable of. . . to think that they'd surface now, and connected with you —"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the poem said something about _only_ two people, right? And that-guy-who-was-not-Pitken, he said that only you, and one other person, could do this thing. Could find the Six. That _has_ to mean you, and some other person, I guess. It's your quest, and even more so since the man who told you showed up in a form that only you would recognize."

Kel was shell-shocked. "Just me? Just me, go find these six 'things' that no one even knows anything about?"

Raoul nodded. "Yes. Well, no. You and one other person. And if I were you, I'd think carefully before choosing." With that final remark, he sauntered out of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She stood quietly for a moment, then turned and left the Greater Library, slowly making her way back to the banquet hall.

It took her friends less than a minute to locate her, and they converged on her quickly. Squires Owen of Jesslaw, Prosper of Tameron, and Sirs Merric of Hollyrose, Faleron of King's Reach, Cleon of Kennan and Neal all ran up, out of breath.

"Kel! We've been looking for you!" said Owen excitedly. Kel allowed herself a small smile. Even at seventeen, Owen was still more energetic than anyone she knew.

"Is everything all right? You look . . . strained." Cleon walked up slower, looking at her with concern. She nodded, and he embraced her and kissed her cheek quickly. "I'm glad."

"Kel, what was —" Kel shot a quick look at Neal, and he broke off. Seeing that the others were looking at him curiously, he hurriedly continued. "What was, um, your assignment? Where are you going?"

"I haven't gotten mine yet," she answered smoothly. "Where are you going?"

They all told her: Cleon and Faleron were going to Port Caynn, Merric to Pirate's Swoop, and Neal to Fief Naxen. Owen was annoyed that he wasn't old enough to be assigned a position — yet.

"Just nine more months, and I'm a knight! Why can't I just skip the months and become a knight?" he asked, indignant.

"Because," Neal answered, face serious, "The last nine months are the most important." Owen elbowed him impatiently. "Plus," Neal continued, nonplussed, "We want to make sure that there are new knights in nine months, seeing as it doesn't look good for all of us right now."

They all fell silent.

"Well, I have to go. The king said to be off as soon as possible, remember?" Faleron reminded them. Most of the others made excuses and drifted away, leaving Kel, Cleon, and Neal.

Kel looked at Neal with an "I'll-explain-later" expression. He winked at her, and left the two of them alone. Kel watched him leave. Even though her crush on him was long dead, she still thought he was extremely attractive. But then, he had Yuki, and she had Cleon . . . who was still looking worried.

"Are you sure you're okay, my dewdrop?" His flowery name made her laugh.

"Kind of." She motioned for him to go ahead of her, and they left the banquet hall, slowly strolling to Kel's chambers while making small talk. He closed the door behind her. Kel sat down on her bed. Cleon stayed standing.

"Kel," he began. "I actually have something I need to tell you."

"Can't it wait?" Kel sidled up to him and kissed him, her breath warming his lips. She wrapped her arms around his head and fell into the feeling of him when he broke their kiss and pulled away.

"Hmm . . . not really," he muttered.

"What is it?" She stood away from him.

"Remember how I told Mother about you and I and she was, well, less than thrilled?" Kel nodded. "It seems that she either forgot, or didn't care, because she . . . um . . . she . . ." He stopped speaking and wouldn't look at her. Kel got a sinking feeling in her chest. She made herself speak.

"She what? What did she do?"

"She — she set up a marriage." He glanced at her face, then continued in a rush. "It's with Lady Gretyl from the next fief over. She set it up all by herself, and it will take place in mid-June. It'll be really good for our politics, and it will expand Fief Kennan and make it closer with our neighbors, and —"

Kel couldn't hear him any more. A pounding in her ears blocked out Cleon's words. She didn't understand. She knew his mother didn't approve of her, but this! This was incomprehensible!

"Wait," she said, interrupting him. "I know! We can elope! We can go to the far South, and get married, and everything will be fine, because it's not like she can do anything about us, and we'll be happy, and everything will be fine. It'll work! I know it will work!"

"Kel." He walked over to her and cupped his hand around her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I don't _want_ to do that. You don't understand — they'd disown me forever if I did that. I need the support of my family and my home, and I'm sorry, but . . . it's for the best, I promise." He kissed her once, sweetly, and left her.

****

Yup, Cleon's the bad guy . . . REVIEW!!! (I'm putting these reminders here because when I'm reading, I always forget to review. . . plus, some people need a little prompting.)


	5. The Quest Begins

****

I apologize to all you Cleon lovers, but I had to get rid of him. Otherwise, Kel would take him with her, and we all know _that_ can't happen! *thinks for a minute* Yeah, he had to go. But be happy! Here's the next chapter!

****

The Quest Begins

Kel laid down on her bed numbly, and began to cry. She cried for what felt like hours, unable to do anything, caught in the storm of emotions running through her. Eventually, her tumultuous tears abated, leaving behind a dull ache in her heart and silent tears that streamed hotly down her cheeks.

A knock on the door roused her from her misery. Sniffling, she shouted, "Go away!"

"Kel?" Neal's voice sounded outside the door. "What's wrong?"

"_Nothing_! Just go away, please just go!" She sniffled again.

There was silence from the other side of the door, followed by metallic rattling and a faint click. Neal strolled in, smiling. "I knew that stuff George taught me would come in handy," he murmured, replacing the lock-pick in his pocket. He turned around, saw Kel's face, and gasped. He re-locked the door, then ran to her.

"I knew something was wrong! Kel, what happened?! Are you hurt?" he asked, concerned.

"N -- no," she stuttered. She began hiccuping.

"Well, what's wrong, then?"

"Cleon!" A fresh storm of tears caught her in their grip, and she began to sob. Neal gingerly put his arms around her, and she bawled into his shoulder.

"Not . . . he didn't . . ." Neal couldn't bring himself to finish.

"He's getting married!" Kel blurted, her voice muffled through the fabric of his shirt.

"Isn't . . . that a good thing?" Neal asked, confused.

"_I'm _not the one he's _marrying_!" she yelled, exasperated.

"Oh, gods." Neal couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't make his friend feel worse.

Kel hiccuped again, her tears slowing. "Well, it wasn't all his fault," she explained. "His mother made him."

"What, he's twenty-something and he's still his mother's pet?" That got a laugh from her, albeit a watery one. She sniffled again and wiped her eyes.

"There's someone better. Don't worry! You'll find him eventually. These things take time," said Neal kindly. Kel nodded. "Changing the subject," Neal went on, "Just _what_ was all that hush-hush stuff with the Queen and Raoul and you?"

Kel's earlier confusion returned. She quickly explained what had happened, but Neal was just as puzzled as she was.

"So, you and one other person have to go find six things that no one has seen for centuries, and might not even exist?" Kel nodded again. "Riiiiiiight," Neal said.

"But the thing is," Kel explained, "I don't even know who I should take with me. I was thinking about asking Cleon, but --" She looked down. Even saying his name caused her pain.

"What about Raoul?" Neal suggested quickly.

Kel shook her head. "No, I already decided against that. Since he's been my knight-master, I've gotten used to obeying him without a thought, and I get the idea this is sort of supposed to be _my_ thing, so I don't want to feel like I have to obey anyone." Suddenly she gasped. "Oh gods! I never told the King and Queen that I can't help with the attacks! What if they won't let me go?"

Neal coughed. "No problem there. The queen and I were having a conversation. While she was, um --"

"Reprimanding," Kel supplied.

"_Talking_ to me, Raoul came up and told her you wouldn't be needing an assignment. Then he asked to speak with both of them privately, later tonight. I can only assume he was referring to this event."

Kel breathed a sigh of relief. "That's all right, then. But I still need someone to go with me."

Neal coughed suggestively and eyed her.

"_You_?" she demanded. "You want to go with me?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "This is the chance of a _lifetime_! Go on a quest, through far away lands, and meet beautiful maidens to rescue . . ." he began dreamily, but Kel cleared her throat and he hurriedly kept talking. "But none, of course, more beautiful than Yuki. But, _of course_ I'd love to go with you! You know me well enough to know that!"

Kel thought. She knew her friend well enough to know he wasn't lying. He really did want to accompany her. Plus, she had known him for eight years, so she was at ease around him, and his sense of humor would amuse her on the trail. Plus, she had no reason to obey orders from him . . .

This last reason made her smile, and she looked at him critically. "All right."

Neal whooped with joy.

"But," she continued. "You have to help me every step of the way, not just when you feel like it." Neal nodded seriously.

"I'll go make sure Raoul notified Their Majesties, and I'll tell him that I chose you. _You_," She pointed at him. "Go pack. We leave tomorrow."

****

Okay, so Neal's a little clueless! Who cares?! He's a sweetie! Review!


	6. Among a Regal Guard

****

Okay, have you figured out the first plot twist yet? If not, here's the next chapter!

****

Among a Regal Guard

The next morning, Kel and Neal met in Kel's room to discuss where they were going.

"What exactly did the parchment say?" asked Neal.

Kel drew a small parchment out of her pocket. Thinking smartly, she had recopied the poem onto a fresh parchment, knowing that the other one was capable of disintegrating at any minute. She read the poem out loud to Neal, although since she had read it at least twenty times the night before, she had it almost fully memorized.

"Okay." Neal nodded thoughtfully. "So where do we start?" Kel looked at him blankly. "Well, _this_ obviously isn't the bit that tells us where they are hidden. Didn't it say something about him hiding a different parchment? It's my guess that we'd have to find that one before we even think about finding the actual Six, whatever they are."

Kel stared at him, amazed. "How'd you figure out _that_ one, Queenscove?"

He looked sheepish. "My uncle was obsessed with cracking codes things like that, and he had a habit of giving me clues and making me figure out what they meant. If I refused, he'd rant about how the youngsters were losing respect, and eventually it was less trouble to just do the stuff he asked. I must say, I never expected it to come in handy. Well, anyway, read that part about hiding the parchment again."

Kel read, "_ I break away, ere menace blooms -- Mine enemies' swords flash hard. I hide thy key parchment in the gloom; Laid among a regal guard_. So he hid it . . . among a regal guard?" She looked helplessly at Neal, who was looking thoughtful.

"Okay. Regal is another word for royal, right? So he hid it among a royal guard."

"So should we go ask the king's personal guards, or something?"

"No. Remember, this was written gods-only-know how long ago. It had to be something that would be pretty well known, and not very likely to change, or change places . . . like a rock or something."

"That's it!" Kel shouted. "He hid it in a rock!" Neal looked at her as if she was crazy. "Or maybe not," she muttered sullenly.

"Well, let's look at the other parts. 'Mine enemies' swords flash hard' . . . I don't think there's anything there."

"I still say it's a rock."

"'I break away, ere menace blooms' . . . Augh! This doesn't have enough clues! We're never going to figure this out!" Neal exploded.

Something was nudging at the back of Kel's brain. She frowned, concentrating.

Neal sighed. "Okay, next --" Kel held up a finger, breaking Neal's speech. The thought came to the surface of her consciousness as slowly and nonchalantly as a bubble.

"Flowers bloom," she whispered.

Neal stared at her.

"And flowers are plants. Plants are in a garden . . ."

"'A regal guard' . . .en." Neal murmured. Kel ignored him.

"So a 'regal guard' could mean . . . a royal garden?"

They stared at each other. "The King's Garden!" they cried in unison. Kel and Neal raced out the door.

The King's Garden was located in the middle of the palace. It was a small courtyard with the current king's favorite plants. It was built along with the palace, over four hundred years ago, so the king, whoever he was at the time, could go there and relax. Few others could gain access to it, but the King had given her the password as a special privelege. She rarely used it, but was thankful to him now for trusting her with it.

They entered to a blaze of greenery. The initial growth spurt of the plants at the beginning of spring was over, and now they grew at a leisurely rate. The two walked to the center of the small garden and looked around.

"Okay . . . here we are, in the King's Garden . . . see an old parchment?" Neal muttered.

"It said he hid the parchment in the gloom . . . see anything gloomy?" Kel countered. "Here, let's just look around the whole thing." Neal nodded, and they went back to the entrance, each of them following the wall hedging in the garden.

Kel trudged along the wall, among plants that were being strangled by weeds. _So they don't take care of the plants out of sight of the path?_ she thought. _I'll be sure to tell Jonathan_.

Kel tripped on a root, cursing the gardeners as she fell. She landed heavily among several inches of mast and staring straight at another root. She didn't make a move to get up yet, but just laid there fuming.

When she began to rise, a reflected flash of sunlight caught her eye, making her wince, as she was temporarily blinded. Then she realized: there had to be something metal to make the flash.

She flopped back to the ground, where the reflection didn't cause her pain. Looking at where she thought it came from, she was able to distinguish something slightly shinier than anything should naturally be. She reached her hand out, scooching forward over the ground. Her fingers came in contact with something that _could_ be a handle, but she couldn't quite feel.

__

Just a little farther . . . she thought, and inched forward. She grabbed the thing and pulled.

Nothing happened.

She twisted it.

Nothing happened.

In frustration, she hit the thing.

The wall in front of her split down the middle and slid apart. When it stopped moving, it left a two foot gap in the garden wall.

"Neal," she said. Her throat wasn't working. She cleared it. "Neal."

She heard him answer. "Yes?"

"I think I found something."

****

YES! A CLIFFHANGER! Don't you hate me? Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! I really appreciate knowing that someone actually reads what I write! *grins* Keep reviewing! Hey, do you think I'm doing the whole "we need to solve a mystery" thing okay? Or am I making it too easy for them? Tell me . . . I cater to your needs ;)


	7. The Grotto of Gods

****

Here you go! No more cliffhanger! Yay!

****

The Grotto of the Gods

Kel pushed herself off the ground, waiting for Neal as he shoved his way through the foliage. At the entrance, Kel moved ahead of Neal; the gap was only wide enough for one of them at a time. She inched her way into the hidden alcove. She ground to a halt two steps past the gate, motionless with awe. Behind her, Neal wriggled through the gate, and gave a gasp of reverence as he saw what lay before them.

In front of them was a statue garden, but that wasn't what inspired their awe. The statues were set up in around the outside of a stone base about twenty feet across the middle. The base was what caught their eyes. It had a brilliant design: all the major gods, their heads on the outside of the circle and their feet pointing toward the center. The craftsmanship of the art was superb. Kel thought that the gods could have done it themselves. _And who knows?_ she thought. _Maybe it was._

Kel looked and saw the Great Mother Goddess, more beautiful than any mortal woman; Mithros, the Sun God; the God of the Sea. She even saw what looked like the Trickster God, a young man with a mischievous smile and a face that looked remarkably like a combination of Neal and Baron George of Pirate's Swoop. The images of the gods were inlaid with thousands precious stones that caught the light and reflected it around the grotto, making the knights feel like they had wandered into a rainbow.

"Well, whatever this quest is, it's obviously approved by the gods," said Neal, breaking the reverent silence.

Kel nodded. "Hey, what are those statues, anyway?"

They walked over to the first statue and saw it was an eagle, caught eternally in flight, proud and fierce. The statue was constructed from pure white marble. Again, the person who had shaped the stone was a master, creating a beast that looked as if it could begin moving at any minute. Walking around the circumference of the circle, they saw all the statues were animals: wolf, bear, snake, horse, and dragon.

"Okay," said Neal, voicing their unspoken question. "Where's the parchment?"

They stood silent for a few minutes. Suddenly, Kel gave a short yell of frustration and stamped to the center of the circle.

"_Why_ are you making this so hard?" she shouted at the inlay of the gods. "Do you want me to find these things, or not? Give me a clue! Help me out!"

As she expected, nothing changed. The statues didn't move. The gods didn't point. She slumped her shoulders, staring at the ground in defeat. Neal looked at her, a nameless expression on his face. Suddenly, his jaw tightened, and he strode over to her.

"Oh, come on, Keladry!" She looked up in surprise. "You, who spent _eight years_ alone in the palace, by _your own stubbornness_, is giving up? You, who I have _never known_ to quit in the entire time I've known you? Give me a break! Just because you're hitting trouble doesn't mean you won't figure it out! Remember all the times this has happened before? With tilting, and sword fighting; in fact, just about everything we had to learn, _you_ went above and beyond all of us! How is this any different?"

"This is _not_ my strong point, Queenscove!" Kel shouted back, flaming. "I am a fighter! I don't spend my time poring over ancient riddles! That's why I asked _you_ to accompany me on this idiotic thing! And besides, who are _you_ to lecture me on giving up?" She glared furiously at him, but his attention was elsewhere.

"Hey," he said, pointing to her feet. "Look."

There was miniscule writing inlaid in the circle.

"Oh, my gods." Kel knelt down, her head in her hands. "I have a headache."

"Yeah, me too." Neal retorted.

They knelt at the base of the writing, their quarrel of the previous minutes forgotten. Kel grabbed a spare piece of parchment and held it out. "Here."

"I have to do _everything_, don't I?" Neal grumbled. He muttered a spell, and a ghostly image of the writing lifted off the circle, shrank, and attached itself to the parchment, as strong as any ink. Kel carefully grabbed the parchment and read.

__

So now, thee found mine hidden words,

Long waiting to make history.

I lead thee to three foreign lords,

Unraveling thy ancient mystery.

The Six are scattered, flung apart,

Three are hidden, three are found.

Thee who quest must swiftly start,

For danger follows all around.

Now, to direct thee as thee seek

To find that which was hidden from thee:

One: a precious gift from one who knows.

Two: close by inside a dusty room, alone with Ancient scholars.

Three: across imperial waters, guarded by daylight and silver.

Four: laid in a grim rocky tomb of heroes, defended by smoke and snow.

Five: protected by crashing white, blue and purple, underneath thy feet upon crazed shore.

Six: last found, last placed, yet close all along.

Place all in thine sights

Use thy lessons well learned

Fly fire to ignite

And thy battle will be turned.

Kel handed the parchment wordlessly to Neal. He read it slowly, eyes scanning the words. He gave it back to her, quipping, "They weren't exactly hidden, though, were they?"

"Do you have any idea what it means?" she asked.

"Not a clue."

****

So? What do you think? Do _you_ know what it means? Tell me!


	8. Myles to the Rescue!

****

Here's more for your reading pleasure! I'm warning you now, this is a build-up chapter. You could probably skip it if you want to . . . But you don't have to. In fact, you probably won't. *laughs evilly* you are mine to command! ;} and I'll warn you again -- it's long.

****

Myles to the Rescue

"Okay," Kel said. "Well, obviously those six clues are where the six are hidden. Let's figure them out, and then we can go get them."

"Right. But I highly doubt it will be as easy as that."

"I know. But, oh well. There's nothing we can do to change that. All right -- to begin: A gift from one who knows . . . Well, I don't think we're supposed to find that one. Hence, 'a gift.'"

"That one that says 'across imperial waters' . . . that could mean the Strait of Sijave. You know, the water between us and the Empire of Carthak." Neal mused.

"Yeah!" Kel exclaimed. "And it says 'I lead thee to three foreign lands,' so Carthak could be one of the three. Of course, there is a slight problem -- _We're at war with Carthak_!" She glared at him, and he shrugged.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help, here."

Kel looked up at the fading light. "Do you want to take this inside? I have to say, these gods are making me nervous. Especially since I'm sitting on the Graveyard Hag."

"Sure." Neal looked up at the sky. "Plus, the sun is setting anyway. It'll get cold out here soon. Let's go." They got up and squeezed through the gate, and Kel pulled the handle out of the wall. The wall slid together, leaving no indication that it was anything other than a solid stone barrier.

"Let's go into the East Wing of the Greater Library," said Kel. "I have a feeling we'll get lucky if we use that room, seeing how Pitken was in there." Neal agreed, and they made their way to the East Wing.

Passing by the knights' chambers, they heard a familiar voice call, "Sir Keladry and Sir Neal!" They looked around and saw a bedchamber with a door ajar. The two knights entered. 

"Myles?" Kel asked. "Is that _you_?"

"Yes, it's me. I must say I am quite confused myself. But I have something to give you before you leave." Kel looked at Myles sharply, and the old man nodded. "Yes, the king told me you're leaving -- and he also told me why. Don't worry, I can be trusted. By the way, a strange old man just met me in here . . . I have no idea how he got in, the door is protected. He told me to give this to you, Kel. And I'm to tell you, 'Here is the First.'" He held out his hand. Lying on his palm was a grubby stone.

Kel and Neal stared.

"It can't be . . ." Neal breathed.

"' A gift from one who knows' . . ." whispered Kel. She reached out her hand and picked up the stone. Looking closely, she saw that a glimpse of green shine out of the depths of the stone, but no matter how hard she rubbed it, the stone refused to be polished. She was about to put it in her pocket when a strange inscription caught her eye. She looked again, and saw it was the number one in runes.

****

Okay, I'll tell you again. You can stop now. I'll tell you what happens: Myles tells them the story of the Six and figures out where the other Five are hidden. That's all! Shameless exposition, I know. I really find it quite boring, but I wrote it because, well, it wouldn't be a complete story without this section. But it really isn't nessesscary to read . . . you just need to know what happens, and I already told you. So feel free to stop! But if you do . . . review! Hehe! Tell me what you think of the whole 'screw the exposition' outlook I have here! On with the story -- for those that want it :)

Impulsively, Kel asked, "Myles, what do you know about the Six?"

"Hmmm . . ." The knight smiled. "Maybe."

Neal asked impatiently, "Do you know anything, or not? Because, since you've already figured out what we're up to, we have a lot of work to do if you don't have anything that would help us."

"I'm just joking around with you. I'll tell you everything I know. Of course, we now know the Six are stones, which makes it easier to explain. I must say, before I knew what they were, I was confused myself. This clears up many things, including how the Six remained hidden for nigh on four centuries.

"The Six were made by three powerful sorcerers over four and a half centuries ago. No scholar of today knows exactly why; their motivation has been lost in the sands of time. Whatever their original purpose, we know they possess an immense store of magical power -- but only when all Six are together. Apart, they are useless, little more than petty trinkets. Their power is invisible to those who look for it; it is undetectable unless it is being used.

"The sorcerers created these things of immense power, and then split up -- two stones to each person. One of the sorcerers was killed on the way to Old Carthak -- he had a habit of dressing expensively, and robbers found him traveling and shot him full of arrows before he knew what was happening. They took everything he had, including the Two. The robbers continued to Old Carthak, back to their camp on the banks of the River Zekoi, but one of the robbers dropped the bag holding the stones into the River. They recovered the bag, but only one of the Six was inside. The other had fallen out and was lost among the riverstones.

"Supposedly, a dragon attacked the robber camp, laying waste to everything and taking it all for its own hoard. It flew away over the Great Inland Sea -- no one knows where it landed. It took the stone with it.

"The other two sorcerers were smarter. One went to his home in the Copper Isles, taking two of the Six with him. The other stayed in Tortall, where they were created. He is said to have hidden them somewhere in the Realm, but no one has been able to find them. In a journal of the sorcerer found . . . well, about 65 years ago, he claimed to have hidden one in the Royal Palace, but it could have been a front. No one knows what happened to the Two taken by the Copper Islander.

"Well, did that help?"

Kel and Neal jumped, startled out of the dreamlike state Myles' words had put them into. 

"Very much so," Kel answered thoughtfully. Impulsively, she asked the older knight, "Would you like to help us figure this out? It'd be useful to have someone with lots of brains helping us, seeing as all I have is myself and . . . him." She gestured at Neal, who adopted an offended look.

"I'd _love _to!" Myles exclaimed excitedly. "This is the chance of a lifetime!"

"That's exactly what I said," Neal interjected.

"Here's the parchment." Kel handed the older knight the parchment with the ancient words on it. Myles took his time in reading the words, poring over each line. To the younger knights' surprise, he began to laugh.

"I love things like this! So intellectually challenging, and yet so _easy_ once you get the hang of it! All right, where do we start?" he asked them with a look they knew well. It was the look he wore when he quizzed them on a tough topic in their daily lessons as pages.

"Three lands," Neal said instantly.

"Right! We know that the Six are in three lands, plus Tortall."

"Wait," interrupted Kel. "How do we know they're in Tortall?"  
"Well, you already got one in Tortall, didn't you?" Myles replied with a smile.

"Okay, then. Where are the other ones?" she challenged.

"Carthak, Copper Isles, and the Grimhold Mountains."

They stared. Neal finally sputtered, "H -- how . . .?"

"I told you! I love these! I must say, this writer wasn't very talented at doing them, though. He gave very obvious clues.

"The first I gave you. That you already know. The second is in a dusty room -- it says right there. Among Ancient scholars -- note the capital letter of Ancient! That makes it a proper noun, like a name. A dusty room . . . what's the dustiest room you can think of?"

"The Library," Kel said immediately.

Myles grinned. "Right! So, it's by, or in, a book written by Ancient scholars -- I'd assume it's some old guy named Ancient, or An Cient, or some other play-on words. Now, across imperial waters, that means the Strait of Sijave --"

"I told you," muttered Neal.

"-- So it's in Carthak. Guarded by daylight -- you can only find it at night. And silver -- um, somewhere silver. I don't know," he said in answer to their questioning looks.

"Continuing," Myles went on, "A grim rocky tomb of heroes is a dragon's lair in the Grimhold Mountains -- he put a very obvious clue by saying 'grim' and 'rocky.' Guarded by smoke and snow were even more obvious.

"Hidden by crashing blue and white is on a shore -- the blue of the sea, the white of the foam. I have no idea about the purple. Crazed shore -- everyone knows the Copper Islanders are crazy!

"The center of three homes -- I have no idea. I think that one is specific to you, Keladry. But otherwise, I think I've got it." Myles looked smug.

Kel and Neal sat in silent shock, in awe of their former teacher. Kel was just beginning to understand how smart he was.

"Well!" said Neal. "I think that about wraps it up, don't you, Kel?" Kel nodded numbly. "Thank you for everything, Sir Myles. We have an early day tomorrow." Neal grabbed her and escorted her out of the room. Myles sat back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his lips.

"They have the best chance of anyone, I know," he said softly to himself. "But I still don't like them leaving now. Gods protect them." He sat up late into the night, while Kel and Neal were sleeping with dreams of stones and gardens, books and dragons.

****

Okay, I apologize for that chapter, if you even read all of it. It sucked. Like I said, it really isn't all that necessary to read. I was sicwk of the riddle thing, okay?! So sue me. *pauses* on second thought, don't sue me. I'm broke. I know it was totally not good writing (the whole 'Myles knows everything!!!!!!!' thing was totally out of place,) but be happy! Now they know where everything is and they can get on with _finding_ it! Yay! I'll tell you a funny story: I almost had a heart attack while writing this -- my dog came and I didn't see her and she bit my foot and scared the bajeezus out of me. *gasps and falls over* Well, anyway, don't worry, the story picks up after this . . . you'll see!


	9. A Shameful Goodbye

****

I am heartbroken!!!! The bookstore just called and Lady Knight doesn't come out until AUGUST! WHY, OH WHY???? *sighs* oh well, I've waited for a year, I can wait longer. (can you tell that my life is an emotional roller coaster? : D the only way to live! I wrote the next chapter because I am suffering from NTPBWS (New Tamora Pierce Book Withdrawal Syndrome) But . . . . *screams* I can't believe it!!!!! I feel like an idiot for believing, um, whoever told me it came out in may. . . thanks, reviewers, for alerting me to the falsity of my desperate delusions. Keep it up! Well . . . not the falsity thing, just reviewing! I feel loved when people review! And about the whole K/N thing . . . well, you'll just have to wait and find out, won't you? I know, I'm evil. But I sure have a lot of fun.

Wow. Long author note. Here's the chapter!

A Shameful Goodbye

Kel slammed a dusty tome down on an oaken table. She made a frustrated noise and turned to Neal.

"Nothing! None of these index books mention anything that has anything to do with Ancient, or An Cient! I've checked all of them forty times! _Nothing!_" She sat down in a huff at the table, where Neal was flipping through another index book.

"The king still has all his new books recorded in here, so nothing could be in the library that isn't in here, but you're right. There is definitely no An Cient, or anything of the sort," said Neal.

Kel groaned, a new idea occurring to her. "What if Myles was wrong about whole 'Ancient' thing? What if he was wrong about the _whole poem_? We could be going to the totally wrong places!"

"No, I don't think he's wrong. All the other clues make sense. But this one . . . did it seem too easy to you?"

Kel thoughtfully replied, "Kind of . . . compared to the other ones, it was a breeze. There _has_ to be a catch."

"I agree."

They sat in silence, thinking.

****

Okay, here comes a quickie note-- they figure this out really fast, on the first idea, and really easily. I did that on purpose . . . I couldn't think of enough reasons to make it harder for them to figure it out, so don't get mad at me for my easy answers! PS. I thought it was time for Kel to figure one out. She's been in the background on the whole 'brains' thing, and since she isn't stupid, well, here ya go:

Suddenly, Kel froze. She slowly raised herself from her slouched position and lifted her index finger into the air. "Wait," she said, more to herself than to Neal. He looked at her, interested.

"What if 'Ancient' was a synonym? You know, like it had an author whose name was a synonym for ancient? Like, I don't know, Prehi Storic or something."

"You know, you may have something there," said Neal pensively. He grabbed a sheet of parchment. "Okay, tell me all the words you can think of that mean ancient."

Fifteen words and two indexes later, they still weren't anywhere further. Neal was ready to give up, but Kel wouldn't let him.

"Come on!" she prodded. "We have one more word left! It has to be the right one!" He sighed and lugged the last index book over in front of him.

"What's the word?" he asked.

"Antique."

He flipped through the pages to the most probable match. Running his finger down the list of authors and books, he paused. Slowly, a grin spread across his face. Kel shoved over next to him, his arm pressing against her own. She read what his finger was pointing at: Anne Teek, author of _The History of the Relationship between the Horsefly Population and the Annual Wheat Surplus._

"Well, that would explain why no one's found _this_ one for four hundred years," Kel said wryly.

"According to the index, the book is in the twenty-third bookshelf on the right," Neal announced.

They walked to the twenty-third bookshelf. Kel got a library ladder and pulled the book down.

"Don't open it until you get down here!" Neal called.

Kel climbed down off the ladder and stood next to him. Together they opened the book. In a hollow recess carved between the pages, they found a dusty round stone. Wordlessly, Kel picked it up and held it up to the magical crystal light, illuminating a runic symbol for two.

"This is the last of the Six hidden in Tortall," she said quietly. "We have to leave home."

"Unfortunately," Neal drawled, "We are at war with the three countries we're supposed to go visit, and I don't think their rulers would take kindly to us sneaking in and taking something this valuable."

"We'll just have to be careful, then, won't we?" Kel smirked.

"Yes," said Neal. "Extremely. By the way, when are we going to leave?"

"How about . . . tomorrow morning."

"Are you sure? Because the _last_ time you said that, you hadn't figured out where we were going yet. Do you have it all this time? Because I want to make sure I say goodbye for the last time -- I already said goodbye to Yuki, and I have to do it again now, because I didn't actually leave, and --"

"Neal." Kel interrupted his rant. "Shut . . . up. We-are-leaving-tomorrow. But I'll go with you to say goodbye to Yuki. I need to say goodbye myself, I totally forgot to do so! Let's go now. It's rather late, and she may already be asleep, or getting ready at least. And don't worry," she added, seeing the skeptical look in his eyes, "I'll leave so you two can have your _private_ good-byes."

Neal readily agreed after hearing this. They left the library, the Two they possessed safe in a belt pouch at Kel's waist. They walked toward the Yamani's chamber, talking quietly between themselves about their travel arrangements. Upon reaching Yuki's chamber, Neal knocked twice, and when no one answered, he set about opening the door with the key Yuki had given him.

Suddenly, her voice rang out. "_Don't come in_!" she cried desperately.

It was too late.

The door swung open, revealing Yuki stumbling half-dressed out of her bed, where a man covered himself with a sheet. Neal froze.

Without a word, he turned and ran from the scene. Kel was caught like a deer on a crossbow's sight; she couldn't move if her life depended on it.

"Neal!" Yuki cried heart-wrenchingly, tears streaming down her face. "Shit," she sobbed. "Shit, shit, shit, . . ." Her chant of swears deteriorated as she began to weep in earnest. "I didn't mean anything," she wailed, looking at Kel. The man remained silent.

Kel glared at her scathingly. "Why are you _crying_? Were _you_ the one whose heart was broken? Were _you_ the one betrayed? No. You weren't. So. Shut. Up. And what do you mean by saying you didn't _mean_ anything?" she demanded, past all reason. "You slept with another man! You are . . . _were_ . . . involved with Nealan of Queenscove, or did you forget?"

"No!" Yuki stumbled forward and grabbed Kel's sleeve. "He said he was leaving . . . I didn't know he was here . . . "

"_And that gives you an excuse_?" Kel screamed. Yuki crumpled to the ground and sobbed. Kel looked at her like she would look at a pile of horse dung.

"I never, ever, want to see you again. I can't believe you. I trusted you. Never, ever, ever again," she whispered. She looked at the man and bowed ironically. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir."

Kel turned on her heel and stalked out the door, the sound of Yuki's lamenting echoing inside her ears long after she was out of earshot.

****

Whoa, ponies! Now wasn't _that_ an unexpected twist! And you know what this means . . . Kel and Neal are both single! And you know what _that_ means . . . they both hook up with characters I make up and get married.

I'll let you figure out whether I'm joking or not.

Anyways, the next chapter is damage control and then some. Hey, that's a catchy chapter title . . . 


	10. On the Shores of Carthak

****

Okay! I don't really have anything to say, so I'll shut up and let you read.

On the Shores of Carthak

She found him in the statue grotto.

Kel approached him hesitantly. He sat silently in front of the dragon statue, staring up at it. His silence scared her. She walked up and sat beside him, staring at the magnificently worked marble.

"I thought —" Neal's voice cracked, and he stopped. "I thought she really loved me."

Kel didn't say anything. She could tell this wasn't a thing for her to intrude upon. Cleon had been different — since the beginning, she had assumed something like that would happen to her. But Yuki's betrayal was a different story.

"She said she did," Neal's words stuck in his throat. His voice was thick with held back tears. "I loved her."

Kel couldn't stand it any more. "Neal, she . . . she doesn't understand what love is. We all thought she did, but . . . she doesn't."

"I don't know why this is even different from you and Cleon," Neal said, his voice high with emotion. His attempt at a joke failed miserably, and two tears fell from his eyes. He gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, now I remember. Cleon wasn't bedding another woman!" More tears fell.

Kel wrapped her arms around him as his shoulders shook with silent sobs, and he crumpled against her.

After a while, Neal's sorrow subsided and he stopped. He sat up, shaking off her arms. She looked into his face, and his eyes were hard.

"At least we're leaving tomorrow," he said. "I'll never have to see her again."

He stood up and left the grotto. Without a word, Kel followed him, her heart heavy with pain for Neal, as well as herself.

****

Augh!! Yes, I know . . . cheezycheezycheezycheezycheezycheezy! But oh well, it's not like I could just cut to them taking off in the morning. Three things I think you should know: 1) Neal was very _manly_ when he cried, 2) Don't go too hard on me for that section. I needed to get rid of Yuki, and 3) The BEST character (because he's mine) comes back! Yay! Now . . . back to the real plot!

They met the next morning in the stables, saddlebags packed and ready to go. Neal eyes were shadowed; he had changed since the day before. But luckily for Kel, he seemed to be mostly back to normal, cracking jokes left and right. They left the Palace at a brisk trot, Kel on Peachblossom and Neal on his own horse. To Kel's surprise, none of her birds left with them.

"Well," Neal drawled, "Maybe they understand that sneaking into countries currently at war with our own is _not_ a good idea." Kel ignored him.

Ten days of riding southward brought them to the Strait of Sijave, the body of water separating Carthak and Tortall. Because of the current situation, all ferries across the Strait had been cut off, leaving Kel and Neal to figure out how to get across by themselves.

After half a day of thinking, they still couldn't decide how to get across. Neal wanted to swim, but Kel wasn't sure the horses could make it that far, and everything they owned would be soaked. They were standing on the banks arguing when a ferry appeared. Standing at the front was Pitken.

Kel froze.

The ferry skimmed across the water, moving across the current. No one was steering. Neal turned around to see what Kel was looking at. His eyes widened, and he hissed, "Who in the name of the gods is _that_?"

"That would be Pitken." At her reply, Neal's eyes widened even more.

The ferry bumped against the shore. Pitken stepped from the boat to solid ground. He was cleaner than the last time she had seen him. His beard, still long, was cleanly trimmed and freshly washed. His clothes were cleaner, but they were still extremely outdated. He stood well over six feet tall, and his dark eyes burned in his craggy face. He still wore the hat, and it was clean as well.

Pitken bowed to the two knights. Startled out of their awe, Kel and Neal bowed back. Peachblossom blew air bad-temperedly at the man. Neal's horse, better behaved, cropped grass quietly behind them. Pitken turned and glared at Peachblossom, then returned his steady gaze to the two knights.

"So, thee have found Two," said Pitken. His deep voice rumbled.

"We have," answered Kel confidently.

"I am proud of thee." He paused and looked at them both, his eyes kind for a moment before returning to their blazing normalcy. "I did know that thee are correct for thy quest. I tell thee now, I have come to help thee against thy first obstacle," Pitken announced. "Step on, and thee shall be delivered safely to the other side, though I cannot guard thee from mortal dangers encountered there."

The young knights stepped onto the ferry, leading their horses behind them. At a motion from Pitken, the boat began its cruise to the opposite shore. There was now no doubt in either Kel or Neal's minds: this was an immortal, perhaps even a god.

Neal's horse shook her forelock anxiously when the boat began to move, but Kel had to restrain Peachblossom; he was trying to bite the mysterious man.

"Stop it!" she hissed in his ear. "We don't know even know who he is! He could turn you into a toad! How would you like that, huh?" Peachblossom eyed Kel, shifted position and stopped trying to bite Pitken.

Silence reigned on the small ferry as it glided over the water to the shore of Carthak. With a grinding jolt, the ferry struck Carthaki soil. Kel and Neal led their horses to solid ground, and turned to thank Pitken, who had followed them onto the shore. They bowed again, receiving a bow from the man in return. Pitken straightened with a smile.

"I know we shall meet again, mine Lady Knight . . . and thy companion," he added, glancing at Neal. Neal raised his eyebrows as Kel stifled a giggle: even immortals put their feet in their mouth! Pitken cleared his throat, and Kel returned his gaze. "Fare thee well on thy quest," he said simply.

He turned and walked into the water. His clothes did not billow with the water, as a mortal's would. He did not float, as a mortal would. He walked down the bank as if it were a hill on land. When he sank beneath the wavelets, not a ripple marked his passing. Kel and Neal stared.

"You know," Kel remarked angrily. "I find myself staring a lot more than I'm used to. I wish things like this would stop happening."

Neal didn't answer. She looked at him and saw he was staring downriver. Coming towards them on the shore was a troop of Carthaki foot soldiers.

They were wearing Tortallan livery.

"Uh-oh," muttered Neal.

****

Ooooh! Cliffhanger!!!! Sorry, I couldn't resist! How about Pitken, huh? I think he's awesome! Okay, more to come soon! But first, a few shoutouts to my loyal reviewers! Thank you! and hey, if you review, I'll shoutout to _you!_ and you know that makes you feel special. So review! Uh oh, I'm not even sure if the same people will even re-read my story, but oh well! I like shoutouts, so here they are!

Shang Unicorn: ugh, me neither! That's why I got rid of her. And the adventure is starting!

Mnitr: I was thinking about doing that, and I've decided I will -- in a later chapter :) too many things going on right now! and also . . . yay! Another NTPBWS victim! We should start a club!

Princess Sanidaylene: I know! He needed to be taken down a notch.

Sophie: wow, you reviewed a lot. *sobs* THANK YOU!!! it makes me feel bee-yoo-tee-ful when people review! And of course I'm still reading them! I'm still writing, aren't I?

Lady Gabriella: you will just have to wait and find out *laughs evilly* I have the power to control them! *coughs* um, well, just keep reading.

Lady Alison: YAY! HELP FOR THE STORY! I will use it, have no fear! Keep reading!

Merritt: Thank you! I like puzzles too, but I'm not very good at writing them . . . 

Piper Cheyenne: I did!

Katie Carr: AUGH! WHY CAN'T I LIVE IN ANCHORAGE??? (did I spell that right?)


	11. At the Wandering Ram

****

Okay, here it is! I apologize for how long it took me to write this, but I had a lot going on over the weekend. By the way, does anyone know the name of Neal's horse?

****

At the _Wandering Ram_

"Quick!" Kel hissed. "Do something!"

"What?! What do you expect _me_ to do?"

"I don't know! Use your Gift, or something! Hurry! They haven't noticed we aren't Carthaki yet!"

Neal sighed. He held out his hand, and a dark green ball of fire grew in his palm. With a sweeping motion, he flung the fire in a circle, encompassing both the knights and their horses.

"Okay, we're invisible, but nothing else. They can still hear us, and if they come inside the circle, they can see us," Neal whispered.

Kel padded to the horses. "You better to be quiet," she told them. "Otherwise, we're all dead." Peachblossom shook his head restlessly, but didn't move after that. Neal's horse shifted position and stood quietly.

The soldiers were getting closer by the second. Within a minute, they were right next to the invisible sphere containing Neal and Kel. Marching in sync, the Carthak soldiers passed them by, as close as ten feet to the bubble, and continued down the shore.

As soon as they were out of sight, Neal broke the spell, gasping. His face had a light sheen of sweat from the strain of holding the spell for so long. "Gods," he wheezed. "Could they have gone any slower?"

"We're lucky they didn't, with you looking so bad after holding it this long. Of course, not that it really makes a difference . . . " Kel said teasingly.

"What, don't you think I'm handsome normally?" Neal retorted, a mock-conceited look on his face.

"Most of the time," Kel said without thinking. At Neal's startled look, she hurriedly added, "But the rest of the time I can hardly stand to look at you."

Neal's look faded into a confused expression. Kel silently cursed. She had as good as told him that she thought he was handsome! She changed the subject, saying, "Maybe we should find some Carthaki clothes."

They went into the forest bordering the shore to change into inconspicuous tunics. Kel had finished dressing and was walking toward the horses when she heard Neal walk out of his clump of bushes. She turned around, starting to say, "What took you so long?" but when she saw him, she her words faded away and stopped.

Neal was in the process of pulling his tunic over his head, and he had _nice_ muscles. Kel had never really noticed a guy without his shirt on before, but this was kind of hard to miss. Neal finished pulling down his tunic and caught her staring.

"So this is most of the time, huh?" he said smugly as he sauntered over. Kel's face flushed with color and she turned hurriedly to the horses. _What_ _is going on? _she thought, frustrated. _I never used to act this way around him. Next thing you know, I'll be turning into a tittering court lady!_

Out loud, she said, "We should hide everything that marks us as Tortallan."

"Really? I hadn't thought of that," Neal said sarcastically.

Kel glared at him and continued. "We should find some inn to stay at tonight, because if we're found sleeping outside it will draw attention to us." Neal nodded. They concealed the few small things that marked them as Tortallan knights, and were about to mount up when Neal suddenly blinked, and pulled a face.

"Damn," he said cheerfully. "I just realized that you don't have to pretend not to be a knight, because Carthak women are allowed to become knights. I was looking forward to seeing you pretend to be meek and submissive." Kel rolled her eyes and whacked him on the shoulder. Neal grinned. They both mounted up and rode along the small path leading into the heart of Carthak.

After riding for an hour and a half, they reached a small town. Judging by the light, there was only an hour of riding time left in the day, so they decided to see about bedding down at a nearby inn called _The Wandering Ram_.

They left the horses in the courtyard and entered the inn, where they were greeted immediately by the innkeeper.

"Hello, hello!" he greeted them enthusiastically. "I'm Tadit Ahim, the owner of this wonderful inn! Are you looking for a place to stay? We have many rooms available!"

Kel felt flattened under the man's torrential flow of words. She cut in smoothly, saying, "Yes, Ahim, we'd like to purchase rooms for one night, please." She used the correct way to address a person in Carthak, by his last name.

"And what is the occasion? Traveling companions, or adventurers on a perilous quest?"

That last suggestion had struck dangerously close to home. Kel fumbled for an explanation. Suddenly a lanky arm draped itself around her waist, and Neal said wickedly, "We're on our honeymoon." She glared furiously at him, but he was too amused to notice. She tried to shake free of his arm, but he held on tighter.

"Ahh! Wonderful! Two young lovers, about to embark on the most dangerous quest of all!" Neal looked uncomfortable. He hadn't expected the man to care, or make such a fuss.

"Comin!" Ahim shouted. A young man in servant's garb appeared at Ahim's elbow. "Get these two a room! The best we have with -- " he looked knowingly at them, "A wonderfully bouncy mattress!"

Kel was mortified, and Neal was turning bright red. As Comin led them to a room, Kel had seen the humor of the situation and was choking on a fit of giggles. Neal was making funny noises, and gasping as he tried not to laugh. Comin opened the door, and the two knights stumbled inside, gulping air and trying to keep calm. The servant gave them a funny look.

Suddenly Ahim appeared at the door, and while giving the two a look that was supposed to be sly but ended up looking rather turtle-ish, said, "Comin! What are you doing? These two need to have a _wonderful_ time here, and you are intruding on them! Leave!" Comin left. Ahim bowed low and said, "All to yourselves, to do with as you please!" He winked again, and left, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door closed, Kel and Neal collapsed in laughter.

"Okay." Kel finally had her breath back enough to gasp out words. "Okay, okay, okay. _Never_ do that again. But since we're stuck here for at least one night, thanks to that _wonderfully_ helpful man --" They dissolved into laughter once more. Kel continued.

"Anyway, _you _get to sleep on the floor, since this is _your _fault."

Neal shrugged. "I don't like bouncy mattresses anyway," he said with a grin. Kel snorted.

Later, after she was lying safe under the sheets, listening to Neal breathing on the floor, Kel sighed. _Gods,_ she thought. _What an extremely embarrassing day._ She snuggled into the covers and drifted into sleep.

****

Hehe, yay! Sometimes a little fluff is nice! Okay, the next chapter is relevant to the plot, I promise! (and so was this chapter . . . well, you'll see.) Continue reviewing! It would so cool if you just took the time to write, "cool story." Or "your story sucks." Whatever your opinion may be, just please please please take the time to write a short review! Yay!


	12. A New Traveling Companion

****

Ack! Sorry it took me so long to get this up! I had tons of homework, and major writer's block, and yadda yadda blah blah excuses excuses. Anyway, here it is!

A New Traveling Companion

Kel sat at a small table in the common room of the inn, wide-awake for all that the sun had just peeked over the horizon. She was cradling a small cup of fruit juice, mulling over the problems the riddle presented.

"By daylight and silver . . . " she said softly. Then Kel sighed and shook her head. It didn't seem like she would ever figure out what that meant.

"Hello," muttered a voice. Kel jumped and spun around to face Neal, yawning and rubbing his face.

Kel laughed. "You've been training for over eight years and you still can't get up this early?"

Neal made a noncommittal noise and sat heavily at the table. He propped his chin on his hand, staring at her with bright green eyes. "Have you figured it out yet?"

Kel sighed again and shook her head. Neal groaned and banged his head on the table. "We'll never figure it out!"

"What do you mean, they're closing the silver mine?! They can't do that to me!" Ahim's recognizable voice billowed from the back rooms to the common room.

Neal raised his head off the table and stared at Kel for about three seconds. Then, at the same time, they both sprang up from their chairs and ran to the back rooms. Before they could go inside, Ahim came stalking out with a dark look on his face. However, at the sight of them, he forced a smile and said, "Ahh, the young lovers are up and ready for a new day!" He was about to continue but Kel rolled her eyes and interrupted. 

"Ahim, what are you talking about? A silver mine closing?"

Ahim's face fell, and he adopted a mournful look. "The silver mine at Cajei is closing! After half a millennium of service, it has been found empty by the best ore-finding mages in Carthak! It's horrible, terrible, un-wonderful news! _The Wandering Ram_ has been a home to the families of the miners since it was built. Since they come regularly, they are the ones who keep it alive!" He kept talking after that, but Kel had blanked his words from her mind.

__

By daylight and silver . . . that has_ to be in this silver mine Ahim's talking about! But we can only find it at night . . ._ she thought.

"Ahim," interrupted Neal, "Where can we find this mine at Cajei?"

"Two hours ride eastward."

"Thank you. You -- and your inn -- have been wonderful," Kel told him. "You can book us for one more night. I'm sorry, but we have to go now. You have the nicest inn we've seen on our . . . um . . . honeymoon."

Ahim nodded, then walked off muttering.

Kel dragged Neal back into their room. Swiftly, she closed the door and paced back and forth.

"Okay," she said. "That's got to be it. It's in the silver mine! It was around five hundred years ago, so we know that he could have hidden it there!" Neal nodded. Kel continued, "But according to the rhyme, it's protected by daylight, so we can only find it at night." She groaned. "The sun has just risen! We have to wait the whole day to get it!"

"You're forgetting something," Neal said. She looked at him. "We may not even be able to find it, let alone get it out. You forget, these things have been hidden for five hundred years, so it's not like they're in plain view. And doesn't it seem a little weird to you that we are able to figure these out so quickly? I mean, it seems like they should be getting harder, but it seems like they're getting easier to find."

Kel shrugged. "Maybe we're just getting better at it."

Neal looked skeptical. "I guess. And just what are we going to do while we're stuck here? It doesn't seem like there's much to do."

Kel shrugged again, and Neal rolled his eyes. "Fine, then, Lady Knight. I'll think of something." He sat silent. Kel smothered a giggle as minutes ticked by and he still hadn't said anything. Finally, he sighed.

"Well, all I could come up with was going for a ride. Do you want to?"

Kel shrugged again, a grin on her face. Neal groaned exasperatedly and hauled her off to the stables.

It took them next to no time to saddle their horses, and they left the stables at a brisk trot. They rode through the forest in silent camaraderie, happy not to talk.

Suddenly, Kel saw a flash of gold at the corner of her eye. Instinctively, she turned her head, but she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. She suspiciously turned forward again. She caught another flicker of gold and whirled around.

"_What_ are you doing?" Neal asked her. "You look like you've suddenly developed a nervous syndrome!"

"I keep thinking I see something, but whenever I look, it's not there!" Kel said.

Abruptly, a small bird landed on Peachblossom's mane. Kel stared.

The bird was small enough to fit in Kel's hand. The feathers were all shades of red, gold and orange, and as Kel and Neal watched, it them fluffed out and chirped. It had a silver beak and silver claws. Small rivulets of fire ran down its wings.

It was a phoenix.

Half a second after the bird landed, Peachblossom reared at the unwelcome contact. Kel grabbed the reins and fought to stay on his back. The immortal took to the air and flew around their heads, crooning an eerie tune. The flames on its back grew until they were streaming off its wings.

Kel quieted Peachblossom. She immediately looked up. The phoenix descended on Kel's left shoulder. Kel only felt a slight warmth, nothing so hot that it would burn her. Her hair didn't catch on fire, nor did her clothes scorch. She looked at Neal with wide eyes.

He stared back. Reaching out a hand to touch the immortal, it piped a tune. He pulled his hand back, rubbing it.

"It's too hot for me to even get close to," he said in tones of wonder.

Kel turned her head to look at it. The phoenix grabbed a piece of her hair and nibbled on it in what she hoped was an affectionate way.

"Where did you come from?" she asked it. It chirped.

"Are you going to stay with us?" Neal asked it. It turned and looked at him, then nestled down on Kel's shoulder and drew close to her ear.

"I guess we should take that as a yes?" Neal asked Kel. She shrugged. The phoenix, jostled by her gesture, fluted an angry melody at her.

"I'm sorry?" she half-apologized, half-asked. The phoenix burbled and drew close again.

"I guess we should give you a name, then," Kel said. She thought for a minute. "How about Byrn?"

The phoenix chirped energetically.

"Are you . . . um . . . a girl or a boy?" Neal asked. The phoenix chirped once.

"I guess that means a girl," said Kel. Byrn fluffed her wings again, closed her eyes, then settled down and looked like she was trying to fall asleep.

"Okay, then," she said.

"I believe this bird is attracted to hot things," Neal said. "That must be why she found me," He finished with a grin. Byrn's eyes shot open. She trilled a long note and held it. A small portion of the cuff of Neal's tunic spontaneously burst into fire. He yelped, but had no trouble beating it out.

Kel grinned. "It looks like you better knock off those bad jokes if she's traveling with us. Maybe you'll finally start making some sense."

Neal winced.

Byrn shifted, and fell asleep as they rode on.

****

Okay, so there it was! How did you like it? Please review and tell me! and also, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check out my other stories!!! They're pretty good (even if they're fluffy) and if you like this one, I KNOW you'll like the others!!! And if you do read them, REVIEW!!! It makes me feel special. ;) Au revoir!


	13. The Mines at Cajei

****

Yay! New chapter! Woohoo! And THANK YOU for all my reviews and my reviewees, specifically: Redmountain, The Dark Lady, Emily of Yarmouthport, QueenoftheRogue, Princess Sanidaylene, Merritt, and Kaye!! And I can't believe I have 65 reviews! Woohoo! Maybe my life has purpose after all . . . or maybe not. And I apologize that it took me so long to get this up. Finals were coming up and we got a dog and . . . well . . . I sort of forgot. But who cares, because it's up now. And since Neal's horse is apparently nameless, I'm christening it Topaz. Think it's stupid? Tell me THE REAL NAME!

The Mines at Cajei

Kel and Neal finished their ride without any major occurrences. They returned to _The Wandering Ram_, and killed time in their room until they had to leave for the mine, because, as Neal said, "I don't think they'd be all that happy to find out we are now in possession of a phoenix." Byrn, still sleeping on Kel's shoulder, woke up and whistled indignantly and Neal quickly amended, "Or rather, that a phoenix is now in possession of us." Byrn piped self-righteously and fluffed her wings. Neal grinned.

The two knights wandered out of the inn two and a half hours before nightfall and made their way to the stables. They moved in shadows, as inconspicuously as possible, since they would look suspicious sneaking out after they told Ahim they had no need to see the mines. Saddling Peachblossom and Topaz took them longer than usual since they were trying to be quiet. They mounted up and took the East Gate at a slow walk, Byrn clutching Peachblossom's mane. Peachblossom, used to hangers-on because of Kel's sparrow friends, paid her no attention, only blowing at her once when she first landed. Fifteen minutes walk from the front gate, they began to trot the horses, hoping to get to Cajei Mine as quickly as possible.

An hour and a half later, the two knights reined in their mounts. Before them loomed a surprisingly small hole in the ground, next to a sign stating simply, _Cajei Mine_.

"I guess this is it," said Kel.

"Yeah," Neal agreed.

They dismounted and told the horses to stay put. As everyone in Tortall knew by now, Daine the Wildmage's presence in the capital led to smarter animals, and Neal and Kel knew their mounts understood them. Kel looked at the phoenix.

"Are you going to stay, or are you coming with us?" she asked.

Byrn fluted a tune and took to the air, gently drifting above their heads.

"I guess that means yes," said Neal.

They walked to the entrance, the last rays of the sun lighting only about twenty yards into the passage before them. Suddenly Neal swore. Kel looked at him questioningly.

"Did you bring a lantern? Or anything that provides light?" he asked angrily, although Kel could tell that the anger was directed more at himself. She shook her head, then froze as she realized what this meant. Byrn hovered, slowly flapping her wings to stay aloft.

"Oh, no!" Kel wailed softly. "We can't see where we're going, and there's _no way_ in a thousand years that I'm going down there without a light. Who knows what could be down there?"

They stood, silently fuming and trying to think of something to do. Suddenly Kel said, "Neal! Your Gift! Couldn't you make a light for us?"

Neal was shaking his head before she was done asking. "No, no, no, and no. Making light is one of the most draining things to be done with the Gift, and I don't want to be drained if we meet something down there. Plus, what would happen if I misjudged my Gift, and we were left without a light, but when we were already deep underground? I'm not doing it."

Kel held up her hands, eyebrows raised. "Okay, okay, you don't have to jump all over me! I'm sorry I asked!" She paused. "Then there's nothing for it," she continued dejectedly. "We have to do it a different night." Neal nodded glumly.

They turned around and began walking away, when Byrn swooped over their heads and into the cave. They whirled around, and Kel opened her mouth to call Byrn back, but the phoenix had other plans. She moved forward slightly until they could barely see her in the twilight gloom. She began to trill an eerily beautiful whistling tune that made both Kel and Neal's hair stand on end. Suddenly the song stopped, and as the two knights watched, Byrn began to glow. She shone with a steady yellowish luminescence that lit up the surrounding area for at least 15 yards in each direction.

They stood stunned.

"Well," Kel said finally. "I guess that solves that."

"Just what else can you do, little one?" asked Neal in tones of wonder.

Byrn whistled impatiently.

"I think she wants us to hurry up," Kel told Neal, poking him.

Side by side, they strode into the mine.

****

Don't worry, I broke up this gigantic chapter into two smaller ones, so the next chapter will be up later today! In the meantime, review! And don't forget to look at my other two stories. (They're fluffy, but it's good fluff.) And someone (I don't remember who) asked me for my email, so if you want to email me, it's cooliechicka@cookiemonster.com**. So go read the next chapter!**


	14. A Maze and A Fall

****

Okay, so here it is! The one you've all been waiting for! My favorite chapter, to date. Except for maybe the first Ahim one . . . well, I had fun writing it, I hope you have fun reading it!

A Maze and a Fall

They walked for what seemed like hours. The dim light from the opening had dissolved within the first minute inside the mine, and the passage was illuminated only by Byrn's glowing light. The mine shaft headed downwards at low angle for a while, then shifted to become steeper. The path they walked was littered with old gravel.

All of a sudden the shaft widened into an colossal cavern. Kel gasped in awe. Even the steady light of the phoenix didn't reach the ceiling or the far side of the cavern. What they were able to see just added to their feeling. A myriad of mine shafts spread from the side of the cavern, and Kel and Neal had just emerged from a tunnel that looked to be one of more than a hundred. The walls shone with glimmers of silver.

"I thought the mine was all out of silver," whispered Kel.

Neal waved his hand, and a ball of dark green fire flew to one of the glimmers, then back to his hand. "It's not real silver. It's a different mineral," he told her.

Kel began to walk forward, and Neal followed her. Abruptly, he grabbed her arm and stopped, causing her to stop as well.

"Gods," he breathed. "We just came so close to getting lost in here forever. We need to mark the passage we came from, or else we'll die no matter what, and even if we find the Third it will make no difference."

Kel turned around, and felt faint. She could only tell from which passage they had come because she was right in front of it. In ten more steps, she wouldn't have been able to tell which tunnel they came from.

Once again, Neal made a waving motion with his hand, and a ball of dark green fire flew from his fingers to the door of the cave, covering it in a shining green veil.

"Okay," Neal said. "That should stay until we get back."

They turned to face the cavern again, and turned their minds back to the biggest problem.

"How in the name of the gods are we _ever_ going to find the Third if we don't even know what tunnel it could be in?" Kel moaned.

"You know, I don't think that's going to be a problem," said Neal. Kel looked at him as if he were crazy, and he rolled his eyes and explained his idea. "Okay, we've already gotten the first Two, right?" Kel nodded. "And you've noticed how we sort of just keep stumbling onto the right things? Like Ahim and the silver mine. What are the odds that he'd be talking about it just right during those moments we were in the common room? We've been pretty lucky so far . . . But the thing is, I don't think it's just luck. I think that it's all supposed to happen like this, that we're the ones supposed to find the Six, and whoever is behind it is making it easier for us, you know? So I think that if we wait here for just a little while, something will reveal itself."

Kel stared at him.

Neal shrugged. "I've just been thinking about it."

Kel snorted. "I guess!" Continuing more thoughtfully, she said, "But it does make sense. I guess we can wait for a little while . . . but if nothing happens, then we are definitely thinking of some other way to find the Third." They sat down on the rock floor, leaning against a small boulder. Byrn perched on top of it.

Time crawled by. After the first few minutes, Kel lost track of how long she had been waiting. Neal's head drooped as he fell into a light sleep, until it was resting on her shoulder. Kel jumped a little when he leaned on her, but then sighed and re-settled herself against the boulder.

__

I should wake him up, or at least move his head, she thought. _But he looks so comfortable. I wish I knew how he manages to fall asleep in any situation._ _I guess I'll just let him sleep_. In the back of her mind, she felt another reason as to why she didn't want to move his head, but she shoved it back where it came from before she realized what it meant.

Absolutely nothing happened as minutes dragged by. Kel was about to wake up Neal and think of a different plan, when something changed.

A beam of light shot through the cavern, pointing straight at a side-tunnel.

Kel stared at it, the wheels turning in her brain. _Hidden by daylight and silver . . . that must be moonlight!_ _I guess Neal was right about the whole "we're lucky" thing after all. _Looking closer, she saw that there was a tiny hole in the roof of the cave, through which the beam was shining. Without the ray of light, she would never have noticed it was there. 

Kel poked Neal, and he woke up muttering about food. "What happened?" he groaned. "I was having a good dream!" Kel pointed to the beam of light, and he sat up straight and tried to stand. That same traitorous part of Kel's brain made her wish he didn't have to move his head, but again she shoved the thought away.

"Let's _go_!" Neal said, pulling her to her feet. Byrn took to the air, pointing out which passage they were supposed to take. "I don't want to be in here forever, and we don't know how long this will last." They took the passage at a fast walk.

After a few minutes, they came to a fork. There was another beam of light coming in from the ceiling, but it was much fainter than the one in the giant cavern. It was pointing to the passage on the left.

"Hurry!" said Kel, and they broke into a run. Neal pointed behind him as they ran, and a ball of fire streaked back to cover the passage they came from. _Good thinking, _thought Kel. _And I didn't even have to remind him_.

A few minutes passed, and they came to another fork. The beam had about the same amount of light as the last one.

"We're keeping up with it," Neal puffed as they raced past the light and into the right tunnel, leaving a shimmering haze over the cave they came from. What he said made sense to Kel. Whatever was making the light fade was obviously timed so that the direction it showed would only be visible for a certain amount of time, and they were running fast enough that they could see each beam.

The next fork they came to also contained the same amount of light, but after that one it was decidedly dimmer.

"We have to speed up!" Kel gasped as they ran past. She forced her legs to go faster, heavy as they were. _This is what I've trained for,_ she thought grimly. _There's no way I'm giving up now._

They passed another fork, and another, and another. Kel began to wonder whether this whole thing was an elaborate trick when the passage came to an abrupt stop. There was no cavern, just a solid wall of rock debris that filled the passage ahead of them. 

"Oh . . . no . . ." wheezed Kel. "Cave . . . in?"

Neal waited until he got his breath back enough to speak a complete sentence. "It sure looks like it."

"This is awful!" shouted Kel. She kicked at the wall, wedging her toe between two rocks. She wiggled it furiously and freed it. "I can't believe we came this far and the tunnel filled in!"

Byrn was hovering silently above them, providing the light. Both of the two knights had almost forgotten her presence until she uttered a piercing trill. She held it out, and Kel and Neal fought to cover their ears against the high pitched sound. Suddenly the sound broke off, and another beam of light shot to the side of the cave, but this time its origin was Byrn.

"This bird just gets more and more interesting," Kel murmured, awestruck. She moved to the wall and saw that the ray of light was pointing to a large chunk of false silver embedded in the wall. She felt Neal walk beside her. As they watched, the false silver melted, to reveal something hidden inside. The ray died down, leaving only the soft phoenix light that they had grown used to. 

Kel reached out and grabbed the Third, prying it from the wall with her fingernails. She held it in front of her face and whispered, "We got it. Whoever did this must have made it look like a cave in to discourage whoever was looking, but Byrn here was smarter than that. I just wish we knew what else she can do. But it doesn't matter, because we got it. We really got it!" She broke into a grin.

Neal whooped with joy and pulled her into a hug. Something inside Kel sort of tingled, but then Neal pulled away and started doing a rather unique victory dance that chased it away. She laughed, and they both turned around and began making their way to the exit of the mines, Byrn steadily gliding above them.

Neal's magic worked perfectly, guiding them safely out of the maze and back into the first gigantic cavern that they entered. From there, it was easy to once again find the correct tunnel and make their way back to the surface.

When they exited the mines, the first rays of the sun were just starting their journey across the sky. Suddenly Kel felt the weight of staying up all night. Her legs seemed like they weighed tons each, and she could barely keep her eyes open.

__

Why is this suddenly such a hassle? She thought desperately. _I've never had problems staying up late before._ Kel reminded herself that she had stayed up all night before her Ordeal of Knighthood, and she still had enough energy to fight against the being in the Chamber. A small voice told her that she hadn't been running madly through a tunnel on the night before her Ordeal, and she reluctantly agreed (with herself) that there was a difference between the night of her Ordeal and this night.

"Kel." Neal's voice brought her back to reality. He sounded amused. "Get on your horse – in more ways than one." Kel glared at him and mounted Peachblossom, then started him in another slow walk. There wasn't a need to hurry back to the _Wandering Ram_.

Peachblossom's steady gait lulled Kel as she rocked back and forth, and her eyelids grew heavier with each passing minute. Finally, unable to keep them up any longer, she let her guard down and fell asleep.

Ten minutes later, she was abruptly jolted awake as she hit the ground.

Peachblossom turned his head around and gave her an expression that clearly said, _What_ are you doing? Neal turned his head at the sound, and when he saw what happened, broke into roaring laughter. Kel sat glowering, thanking the gods that there hadn't been any recent rain. After a few minutes, she got to her feet and tried to mount up, but was stopped by Neal's hand on her arm.

"You, my friend, are in no condition to ride. Come on." Ignoring her protests, he lead her to his horse and helped her mount his horse.

"You're in no better condition than I am," she objected weakly.

"Ah, but you forget that I got sleep tonight." He grinned, and mounted behind her, holding Peachblossom's reins in his teeth. He slipped an arm around her waist, holding her firmly in Topaz's saddle. "We don't want another accident, now, do we?" he murmured in her ear. Kel shoved an elbow back, jabbing him in the ribs as she yawned so widely that her jaw popped.

"You tell anyone what happened and I'll hurt you, I promise," she vowed sleepily.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Neal reassured her.

Kel closed her eyes, leaning back against Neal's chest and feeling him breath. His arm was steady around her waist, and she realized that she rather liked the feeling.

Slowly, Kel fell sound asleep, rocking in the rhythm of Topaz's gait. She woke only briefly when they reached the inn, Neal nudging her awake, helping her dismount, and guiding her inside, his arm still around her waist and steadying her as she walked almost drunkenly inside the door and back to their room. She fell onto the bed without even removing her shoes, and was back asleep almost instantly.

****

Ooh la la! Hints at things to come, do you suppose? I guess you'll never know . . . or you could check back and find out. And you _know _that Neal is the kind of guy who would do a stupid little victory dance, so I just had to put that in there. Well well, did you love the chapter? Hate it? REVIEW AND TELL ME!!! As I've said before, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy when people review, so please please review!! More coming soon!


	15. Averting Suspicions

****

Reviewers, rejoice! If you review, you get personal replies! Yay! Sorry, I've been slacking off on these things, so they go back for a while.

Kalika - Sadly, most likely they will be this lucky all the time. I'm too lazy to think up too many plot twists, and they aren't that lucky . . . right?

Nessa'fur - Why thank you! And hey! here's the next chapter!

Banana - Yay! Praise! And here you go . . .

Kaye - I can't believe you keep coming back! It's wonderful! *sniffs teary eyed just-won-miss-america- crown style* It makes a person feel so _loved_! And _please_ don't die, because here's more!

Shelli - thank you thank you! I will I will!

Redmountain - Yay! I love phoenixes as well! But then, that's why I put them in my story . . . do you think it was realisticly described? (Well, as realistic as a phoenix can be, lol)

Princess Sanidaylene - I will! And you've reviewed a lot also! THANK YOU!

QueenoftheRogue - I love your name! And I love Mary Poppins! We should start a club . . .

Well, I liked writing this chapter even more than the last one, even though it's sad!! And don't get too mad with my indulging myself . . . I can get rid of it if you think it's out of place . . . well, you're probably now thoroughly confused, so I'll let ya read!

Averting Suspicions

Kel woke up in the afternoon, feeling incredibly refreshed. Remembering the previous night's events, she blushed. _How stupid could I possibly be?_ she wondered, _falling off my own horse!_ She sat up, yawning, and saw that Neal wasn't in the room. _He must already be downstairs_, she thought, and set about getting dressed. Byrn woke up from her perch on the bedframe and fluffed her wings.

"Okay," Kel said, pointing the phoenix. "I'm going to leave the window open, because I don't know what you eat, so go find breakfast. But don't get caught, okay? I don't know what they'd do to you if they found you, so don't take any chances." Byrn chirped and began to preen herself.

Fifteen minutes later she walked down the stairs into the common room, at full swing during the lunch hours. The Three were safe in a purse at her belt. She caught sight of Neal sitting at a table in the corner of the room, nursing a cup of what looked to be strong Carthak tea.

She walked over and sat down across from him. "So," she said. "Next stop, Scanra."

"Yeah," said Neal. "About that —"

Before he could say anything, Ahim rushed into the room, almost delrious with joy. "It has happened!" he cried happily. "It is a wonderful thing! We have taken Pirate's Swoop!"

The common room erupted in cheers. People exchanged handshakes and clapped each other on the back. Kel sat, stunned by the innkeeper's words. Neal sat bleakly, staring at his hands.

"How . . . how can . . ." Kel stuttered, tears in her eyes.

"He told everyone earlier this afternoon, just a couple minutes after I came down. What a wonderful wake-up present!" He laughed bitterly. "There's a poster on the wall over there that he just put up. As you can see, Pirate's Swoop isn't the only place that's changed since we left."

Kel stood numbly and walked to the poster. The poster was a map of Tortall, with small round pins to show how the forces against them had advanced. Kel looked at the map, disbelieving. She walked back to their table.

"Groten, Disart, Runnerspring, Haryse, Nenan, and Nond, all taken! And the ferries re-opened to bring in new soldiers!" she wailed softly, wrung in misery.

Neal nodded. "I know," he said, voice cracking with emotion. "It's the six outside cities. They're slowly working their way toward Tortall."

"We have to go _now_. We can't just sit around and let them take over. Whatever the Six do, it has to be better than wasting time and watching our country fall," said Kel grimly.

"What was that?" asked Ahim, dangerously close.

"Ahim!" Kel forced a smile. "We didn't see you."

"Yes, yes. Ahim is always around." He smiled warmly. "How was the young lovers night? Very good?" Kel nodded, Kel thanked the gods that the inn-keeper, nice though he was, did not have a very long attention span.

"Ahim, we must tell you," Neal began. "We are leaving today, so could you please have your servants pack up our stuff?"

"Of course," said Ahim, bowing elaborately. "But wait! The young lovers must not simply disappear! No, no! You cannot tell me that you have roomed three days in my inn and I have not seen you show any affection!" Neal lifted his eyebrows. "You are lovers, on your honeymoon! You should be happy, and loving in each other's presence! But I have seen no sign of that! Why is that?"

"I don't know," stuttered Kel, her brain working frantically to think of some way to get her out of this situation. "I guess you haven't been around when we've been like that."

"Or is it because you aren't married?" Ahim leaned in, eyes bright and suspicious. "Are you just playing with poor old Ahim to get your own way?"

__

Oh, gods, thought Kel frantically. _I guess he wasn't as stupid as we thought he was! How are we going to get out of this?_ But before she could say anything at all, Neal spoke up.

"What are you talking about, Ahim? Of course I love my wife!" His voice was angry, and Kel looked at him in surprise. _Wow,_ she thought. _He's a really good actor!_

Neal pushed away from the table. "How dare you suggest such a thing?" Ahim backed up, startled by Neal's reaction.

"Of course, of course, dear sir," he said hastily. "I apologize. It's just, in a time of war one must always be alert, you know? I am sorry to hear you will be leaving. I will tell my men to pack your bags. Good bye now!" He scurried away.

Neal sat down again. "Well," he said. "That got _him_ out of the way."

"I'll say!" replied Kel. "But where did you _ever_ learn to act like that?"

"Oh, you know." He grinned. "Just one of those things you learn."

"Riiiiight," replied Kel sarcastically.

Three hours later, their bags were packed and they were ready to go. The two knights had just enough time to eat dinner before they left. Sitting down at a table in a corner, they ate heartily, quietly discussing the riddle, the Six, and their plans.

Kel noticed that Neal's eyes kept flicking off over her left shoulder. Suddenly, he smiled warmly at her (an odd thing, since they were discussing what they thought happened to those in the taken cities,) said, "I know exactly what you mean," and leaned forward and kissed her.

Kel's eyes widened. She felt Neal's hand move up to her neck. After a few seconds, he released her, looking deep into her eyes and smiling.

"What in the Hell?" she hissed, dumbfounded.

He kept smiling, but what he said was entirely the opposite. "Ahim was watching us extremely suspiciously. He's been watching us ever since this morning. Now he's not." He leaned back and grinned, a true grin this time. "Kel, you should have seen your face!"

"I don't _believe _you!" Kel exploded. "You are so going to pay for this!"

"Pay for what, your embarrassment?" He leaned forward again, seriously. "I just got him off our tails. He didn't know I knew he was watching, so he thinks that was a true kiss! He thinks we are who we say we are! We don't have to worry about it any more! Be happy!"

__

He does have a point, she thought. _Ahim will believe us now, and he won't worry about us once we're gone from his sight._

"Alright," she said reluctantly. "I guess I won't make you pay. But you could have warned me first!"

"And miss seeing your reaction? Not a chance in the world. Plus, you know you liked it," Neal said wickedly.

Kel gasped at his conceitedness. Her indignation faded into fury. "No way! It was awful! I hated it! It made _no sense_ whatsoever, I didn't even know what was going on, and besides," She sat back triumphantly, crossing her arms. "You're a bad kisser anyway."

"Now I _know_ that's not true," said Neal with a smug smirk. "But I'll let it slide for now. We have to get going if we want to make it to the Strait of Sijave by nightfall. At least then we'll be back in our country, even if we will be on Carthaki soil." He swallowed and looked at the table. "I can't believe we're losing this war," he said dejectedly.

"Neither can I," replied Kel miserably. They sat in silence for a while, alone inside themselves with their own wishes and hopes.

"Well," said Kel, pushing off from the table. "Let's get going. We have a long way to ride."

****

Hehehe! Evil and unrealistic, I know, (of course, I'm talking about the kiss) but oh well! Live with it! Plus, if you're reading this story you're most likely a K/N fan anyway, so you probably enjoyed it. So anyways, I've got this brain itch and I really need to finish this thing so look for the next chapter soon! And don't forget . . . aww, forget it. If you've been reading this far, you know what I'm gonna say, and you know what you're gonna do, so just go on and do it. hehe! Actually, I have a question for you, my readers. Should I make it into a romance? And I want serious opinions, not personal whims. Do you think it would screw up the story if I did that, or not? Because I'm considering it . . . 


	16. Homecoming

****

Yay! I just bought _Cold Fire_!!! The third Circle Opens book! Of course, that's not nearly as exciting as a new Kel book, but . . . only seven more weeks! *screams excitedly* I can't wait!!! In my Tamora Pierce frenzy, I wrote another chapter. Hope you enjoy! And mucho gracias (I'm taking French, so if that's not spelled right, tough noogies) for all the magnificent reviews!!! They keep me on my toes, so keep telling me if you like what I'm doing here!

Homecoming

Kel and Neal stood in the back of a Carthaki ferry, gliding over the waves as it crossed the Strait of Sijave. They were surrounded by Carthaki soldiers, but no one paid any attention to the them. They were just two more unknown knights, on their way to help with the invasion of Tortall.

The ride to the Strait had taken somewhere close to five hours, so the sun was just beginning to set. Kel was glad to finally be free from the prying eyes of Ahim, even though she hadn't even realized he was watching them. It was nice to be on the road again, going back home, but . . . a_ll those cities captured_, she thought sadly. She knew her country was in trouble, but she hadn't realized it was as bad as it was.

The ferry's grinding stop against river silt brought her back to reality. Everyone on board lurched forward with the sudden halt. Byrn, carefully placed inside one of Peachblossom's saddlebags, gave a quick, soft trill of protest, but Kel was the only one that heard. She reached a hand inside the saddlebag as if she was searching for something and gave the phoenix a reassuring touch.

"Everyone off!" called the ferryman wearily. He looked exhausted. Kel thought that he probably hadn't slept in for at least two days. No, he'd been kept up on his feet, ferrying soldiers and siege engines across to make war on her country. Kel sighed bitterly as she led Peachblossom onto what used to be Tortallan soil.

The two Tortallans slowly separated themselves from the others on the barge, walking leisurely behind them. Once the Carthakis had disappeared into the treeline, Kel checked behind them to see where the ferryman was. When she saw that he was a fourth of the way across the Strait, she motioned to Neal, and they both mounted up and cantered along the shore. Both of them understood that they needed to get farther away from the Carthakis before trying to get home to what was left of Tortall.

Kel opened her saddlebag once they had been riding for a few minutes. With a happy chirp, Byrn took to the air, flapping along above them. They continued to ride along the beach for about half an hour. With an unspoken agreement, they turned their horses heads and rode into the forest.

Neal's voice interrupted the normal forest-noises. "So . . . how exactly are we planning to get past the Carthaki legions and back into our country? I doubt they'll just let us sashay back into Tortall, especially since we don't have Carthaki uniforms."

"I haven't quite figured that out yet," Kel sighed. "But it's getting dark. Let's find a place to spend the night and set up camp."

Neal nodded, and they proceeded to slowly walk their mounts, carefully looking for a safe place to spend the night.

"How about there?" Neal pointed off to the left. There was a small clearing, but it was partially hidden in bushes. At night, it would be practically unable to recognize the clearing, and anyone camping in it would have a clear view of the small path.

Kel shrugged. "Seems okay to me." They rode through the small patch of undergrowth and into the clearing.

It took them less than an hour to set up camp, and they Neal had just finished the protective circle when the last rays of the sun faded from the sky. Kel pulled two portions of meat from her saddlebags, and the two knights sat down to a meager supper.

Chewing, Neal suddenly asked, "Where's the bird?"

"You mean Byrn?" Kel looked around, surprised. "I guess she went to go get food. I wonder what she eats," she added thoughtfully.

"I doubt we'll ever find out." Neal swallowed his mouthful and got to his feet. "If you'll excuse me, I'm rather worn out, and I think an early sleep would do me good."

"Really," Kel said sarcastically. "I'm surprised at your sudden worry for yourself, when you've shown no inclination of anxiety before."

Neal grinned. "You know me too well. I'm just too bored to stay awake. I'll see you in the morning." Neglecting to even take off his boots, he slipped into a bedroll and stuck his feet near their small fire.

Kel sat alone for a while, pondering something that had been bothering her for the past few hours. _The riddle says that the Fourth is in a tomb of heroes, but I thought dragons were on our side — for the most part at least. And it doesn't make sense that whoever wrote the puzzle could be confident that one rogue dragon would keep separate from its kind for nigh on half a millennia. Besides, Corus hasn't heard any talk of a rogue dragon, much less of anyone trying to kill one! It just doesn't add up . . . _

A rustling noise roused Kel from her thoughts. Frowning anxiously — were there spidrens in these woods? — Kel's hand moved to her sword. Then she laughed as Byrn flew in, passing easily through Neal's spell, and landed on a small log. Kel stood up, then let out a soft yelp as her calf cramped. She must have been sitting longer than she realized!

Vowing to study the problem more in the morning, Kel walked to her bedroll, beside Neal's. It was not until she was comfortably tucked into her sheets that she realized how exhausted she was. Feeling safe, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Kel slept so deeply that not even the noises of a forest at night couldn't bother her. But nothing was a match for the deafening calls of hundreds of birds waking from their sleeps. Kel's eyelids fluttered, and she yawned. Moving to wipe her eyes, she felt her arm stuck under something. Kel looked down and choked on her yawn. She was clinging to Neal's arm as if it were her favorite blanket!

Embarrassed, Kel glanced at Neal's peacefully sleeping form before moving. _At least he sleeps like a log! _she thought, grateful that he wasn't awake to witness this. Then she almost jumped out of her skin when Neal, his eyes still closed, drawled, "Are you done with my arm yet?"

She blushed and thrust his arm away from her body, sitting up hurriedly. Neal sat up as well, grinning widely and shaking out his arm, saying, "It was starting to fall asleep. I was going to wake you up in a few minutes if you didn't let go of me."

Kel glanced up at him, sheepish. She didn't know that he was staring at her with a grin on his face, waiting for her to answer. She met his eye squarely when she looked up, and was not awake enough to look away as soon as she did. Neal, still shaking his arm out, slowly stopped moving, until they were just sitting there, staring at each other awkwardly. Kel saw something in his eyes that she had never seen before.

Byrn flew in between them, ending the uncomfortable silence. Perching lightly on Kel's shoulder, she grabbed her hair and gave an affectionate chirp. Kel broke away from Neal's gaze, saying, "I guess we should get going."

Neal agreed readily. He took down the protective shield and they set about getting ready to go. In next to no time, they were mounted up and ready to go.

They rode for three days uneventfully, lucky enough to meet no one else on the little used path they had stumbled onto. Kel wished there was some way to get home quicker, but short of sorcery, there wasn't. And since Neal didn't have enough power to transport both of them, plus the horses, they were just going to have to get home with no tricks — riding the whole ten days to the Capital, not counting however long it took them to get past the Carthaki siege posts.

They had just resumed riding after lunch on the third day when a low voice from the surrounding area said, "We've got you surrounded. Don't move unless you wish to die."

****

Ooooooh, looks bad, huh? Well, you'll just have to stick around and find out what happens next! (If it makes you feel any better, I don't know what will happen next either. I write when my Muse deigns to descend.) In the meantime, read my other two stories, re-read all Tammy's books, and count down the days til _Lady Knight_ comes out!!!


	17. A Mad Dash in the Woods

****

DEAR LORD, SOMEONE STOLE MY PEN NAME. Okay, everyone reading this . . . go review the OTHER LADY KATHARINE and tell them (hopefully the pronoun is 'she' but if not, hey, whatever) to bugger off, I had it first. Either that, or help me think of a NEW, ORIGINAL name that NO ONE will ever try to steal. Such as mad umbrella woman. Except better than mad umbrella woman.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Where are the reviews?!?! After all that time . . . wasted! *sobs-in-manner-of-soap-opera-star* oh well. I wrote more anyway.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Why can't I log in?!?! what is going on? Why has the whole website suddenly turned against me? I hate technology. If you ask me, we should have just stuck with the typewriter. Ahh, here we go, I'm FINALLY logged in. 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Why can't I upload?!?! What is wrong with computer? WHY DOES IT HATE ME? I just wanna take a hammer to its hard drive. for chrissakes, WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING?!?! Ahh, here we go.

I don't think I should be drinking as much coffee as I had this morning. 

A Mad Dash in the Woods

Kel and Neal froze as soon as they heard the voice. They looked at each other, Neal's horrified expression mirroring Kel's own.

Suddenly, dozens of people came out from the trees, and one in particular strolled toward the two knights. "Just kidding!" the man called as he walked. Kel's heart started beating again, and she sighed with relief as she recognized Domitan of Masbolle, a man she trained with as a squire and Neal's own cousin.

Neal laughed, saying, "Dom, you blockhead! You almost gave us heart attacks!" He gave Dom a quick embrace, as was fit for cousins.

"I'll get you for that someday. I almost jumped out of my skin!" Kel promised as she shook Dom's hand.

"I'm just glad that you aren't Carthaks. That's who we were expecting to find, you know," Dom said.

"Yeah, what _are_ you doing this far from Corus?" asked Neal. "Isn't this Carthak occupied turf?"

"Sir Raoul sent me and half our squad to look for lost Carthaks, hopefully idiot nobles or officials that we could . . . catch, I guess, and then who knows what. It's a stupid plan, but one of the best we've got right now," Dom told them.

"Is it really that bad?" Neal asked softly. Dom nodded soberly.

"But," he added. "I'm sure that Court will be happy to see you two." Neal and Kel exchanged looks.

"Actually," Kel began.

"Oh, I know," interrupted Dom. "Most of Court does. You're off doing something for the Crown and can't be bothered with us, but we're still glad to know you're alive. Now, since my squad has covered what we're supposed to cover, and the only things we found are two Tortallan knights, I think we can go back to the Palace and you can formally be welcomed home." Kel didn't say anything.

Dom didn't notice. For the rest of the day as they rode towards Corus, Dom talked almost nonstop about what had happened since they had left. Kel listened to the relevant parts, but the problem was, Dom was not a very objective speaker. He'd start talking about which fiefs had been in trouble, but then he would get sidetracked onto the fief lords' children and who they were, and what they were doing. Kel found listening to him very trying, and judging from the expression on Neal's face, he felt the same way she did.

Finally, Dom called a halt to his troops, and they began to set up camp. Dom insisted that Neal and Kel be in the thick of things, rather than on the outside as Kel would have preferred. She had to talk to Neal, and would rather that it be in private.

Kel stifled her need to talk until the camp was asleep, and only a few embers were popping quietly in the fire. She rolled over, so she was facing Neal, and found that he was as wide awake as she was. She began talking as if she was continuing an earlier conversation.

"There is no way we can go to the Palace," she stated flatly. "If we do go, it'll take months to be 'presented' back, months that we don't have. The Court doesn't really understand how serious this is, and we _have_ to do this before it's too late."

"I totally agree," Neal told her. "There's no way we can go _through_ the Palace and still get away in time to 'save Tortall,' or whatever it is that happens once we find all Six. I was thinking we should go _tonight,_ before we get too involved with Dom and Court and everyone. Luckily, he didn't think to unpack our stuff, so everything's ready to go."

"Find by me," Kel agreed. "But where's Byrn? I haven't seen her since we met with Dom . . . which is, I suppose, a good thing," she finished reflectively.

Neal shook his head lightly. "I saw her following us all today. She was on my side, which explains why you didn't notice her. But she knows where we are – I think she's able to fend for herself, and since she's the one that met up with us, it's my guess that she's able to keep track of where we are."

Kel nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. Well, if we _are_ going tonight, we should probably go now, so we have enough time before dawn to get far enough away."

"I'll write a short note to my cousin so he won't be _as_ vexed at us for leaving as we are," Neal said. "You go saddle Topaz and your mean-tempered gelding."

Kel arched an eyebrow at him. "I want you to know that this is the _one and only_ time you will _ever_ get to order me around. And Peachblossom is only mean-tempered to people he doesn't like – like you. He's perfectly fine with me."

Neal grinned, the firelight reflecting in his green eyes. "Understood on both points. Now go saddle them!" Kel rolled her eyes emphatically before quietly standing up and making her way to where Peachblossom and Topaz were picketed. Peachblossom whickered in delight when he saw Kel coming, but she signaled him to be quiet, and he fell silent.

Quickly, Kel saddled both Neal's mare and her own horse. Just as she was finishing tightening the girth on Topaz' saddle, Neal quietly strode up.

"Ready?" he whispered.

"Let's go," she whispered back.

They mounted up and rode into the night. They rode until the next night, in order to keep themselves on the correct sleeping schedule.

It took them three more days to reach the outskirts of Corus. Kel sighed wistfully, standing just inside the ring of forest overlooking the city walls. Neal stood silently beside her.

"I miss them," she said sadly. "Owen, Merric, Faleron, Prosper, Sir Myles, Raoul . . . everyone. Who knows when, or even if, we'll ever see them again?"

"I know," Neal said quietly. "But there's less of a chance if we don't finish this, whatever it is." They stood in silence for a few more minutes, than turned back into the forest and continued on their way.

Kel lost track of how long they rode. Nights blended with days, creating one endless twilight. It didn't help that as they rode farther and farther north, there was a higher and higher chance of precipitation – especially fog. The grayness merged time together even more.

They knew they were getting close to their destination when once, in the middle of an extremely dark spell (Kel couldn't tell whether it was night, or whether the sun was just being blocked out by a bad tempered cloud), they almost stumbled into the middle of Scanran raiding camp. After that, the two Tortallan knights slowed their pace down, realizing an obvious need for caution.

They had just resumed their trek after a meal (breakfast? lunch? dinner?) when Kel halted Peachblossom.

"Wait a minute," she said. "I thought I heard —"

Byrn flew screeching in between the two horses, warning them. An arrow thudded into a tree on the right side of their path, followed by two or three more. Kel and Neal bolted their horses into a run through the closely fitting trees.

"Why are we being attacked?" Neal shouted, frustrated. "Doesn't anyone like us?"

Kel ignored him. Trusting Peachblossom to keep her in the saddle, she turned around to see if she could catch a glimpse of their attackers. She picked out several bodies on horseback, garbed in ragged brown cloth, but other than that she saw nothing but another three arrows. Ducking, she felt the wind from one arrow pass over her head, and shuddered.

"Did you see anything?" Neal shouted over the thundering of their horses' hooves.

"Just bodies," she yelled back. "But they weren't wearing uniforms. Do you think it could be the Scanrans?"

"Who else would it be?" Neal twisted in his saddle to look behind them. "Looks like you're right – Scanran raiders. Like you said, they aren't wearing uniforms, and no one has a reason to attack random passersby. Scanran raiding parties pick off everyone they can."

Through their short conversation, their horses had faithfully been carrying the two knights deeper into the forest, avoiding all low-hanging branches that would brain an unsuspecting rider. Kel glanced down at Peachblossom, seeing his foam-flecked neck and shoulders, his labored breath echoing in her ears. A quick look at Topaz revealed that she was in the same state as Peachblossom.

"We can't keep up this pace!" Kel shouted at Neal. "Look at the horses! They're not used to all-out sprints for this long! We're going to have to fight them, sooner or later, and better for us if it's sooner! But their bows are a problem – can you fix them, somehow?"

"I can try, I guess. We learned something . . . " Neal trailed off, concentrating. From behind them came several shouts of surprise, then sounds of anger.

"What did you _do_?" Kel asked.

"We learned a spell for exploding enemy bows." Neal said, smiling grimly from his success. "This is the first chance I've had to use it – I'm glad that it works!"

"So the bows are gone?" Kel called.

"The bows are out of business!" Neal reassured her.

"Then we may as well fight!" Kel told him.

They were coming up on a small clearing. Upon reaching the far side of the clearing, they wheeled their horses around. After a few seconds, horses and riders burst through the foliage on the other side.

Kel gulped. She could see their pursuers clearly – it was definitely Scanran raiders. Nine of them.

****

Oh joy! I figured out how to reach the reviews! Okay, I'm happy now. About the next chapter . . . There will be a FIGHT!!! I've been wanting to write one for a while. So keep looking back! It will be up soon! Thanks for reading so far – replies to my faithful reviewers on the next chapter, so if you want to feel special and get a special, personalized message, review my story/stories!!

I have a PS: what exactly are plot bunnies and why do people keep referring to them? I am very confused. The only bunnies I can think of are my friend's pets, who bite me whenever I try to pet them, and don't give me story ideas. Could someone please explain this wonderful yet mystifying term?


	18. Combat

****

Yay! Fighting! Woohoo! I've come to the conclusion that one of the scenes that are the most fun to write is a battle scene. So read! Read read read read read read. (And for those that have forgotten, Griffin is what Kel named her sword at the very end of _Squire_.)

Combat

The nine Scanrans halted after spotting Kel and Neal waiting calmly for them, both with their swords drawn and hard expressions on their faces. One man, who seemed to be the leader, turned around and began conversing with the rest of the group in a harsh, guttural language. The man spoke with a tone of joviality, and as he finished the rest of the raiding party broke into loud raucous laughter.

"It looks like they think we're going to be easy prey," Neal muttered to Kel.

"Yeah, well, they have another thought coming," Kel replied in a harsh voice.

"Nine against two is _not_ good odds, Kel."

"We fought worse odds than that when we were pages."

"Yes, when our side had more people, and we were wielding both magic and bows. Here, we have neither."

"The Scanrans don't have them either . . . I hope." There was a short pause.

"Do you think we can win?" Neal asked slowly.

Kel paused before answering. "I hope so."

"That's pretty much what I thought, too," he told her.

Grinning widely, the Scanran leader advanced toward them, followed closely by his eight companions. Underneath Kel, Peachblossom shifted, his ears pricked forward as he readied for battle. Kel re-adjusted her grip on Griffin. She had been through the silence before combat before, but it was still a little unnerving.

With a sudden movement, the leader raised his sword above his head and whirled it in a circle. Kel watched the blade move once, twice, three times around. Screaming a bloodcurdling war cry, the man pointed the blade forward, and he and his men surged to attack. Kel and Neal cried "Tortall!" in unison, and the battle was joined.

Three of the men galloped to engage Kel. The first one to reach her thrust his blade at her, but she parried his unskilled blow with ease. Quickly, the man withdrew his arm, then raised his blade to deliver a heavy blow, and Kel sliced his side deeply. Howling in pain, the man glared hatefully at Kel before he died.

__

One down, eight to go, she thought grimly, and swung her sword in a wide butterfly sweep to block the other two men's blows. Kel was fighting two at once, and although she was keeping them from hitting her, she was slowly being forced to back up into the trees. Griffin flashed in her hand, never letting her opponents through. Her blade never stopped moving as she sought the inevitable opening that would allow her to fight back. There it was! Moving swiftly, she thrust Griffin into the split-second opening available to her. The Scanran choked and died.

Now it was just one-on-one, and Kel was able to attack in earnest. She brought her blade to the man's, coming body to body with him. The raider strained in his saddle, trying to force her to give. Kel gritted her teeth and held.

The man broke the body to body and, in an impossibly quick strike, grazed her left arm in a long shallow cut. Kel yelled in pain. Peachblossom, hearing his mistress's cry, reared as he had been taught. One of his hooves caught the man straight in the forehead, the other in the shoulder. Kel heard bone crack. The man fell lifelessly from his horse.

"Thanks," Kel whispered to Peachblossom before turning and moving to Neal's side. She saw two bodies lying around him, and three more Scanrans assailing him. Neal's blade was flashing in the early afternoon light as he fought back, but he couldn't hold them off for long. The leader was shouting what sounded like commands from his position in the rear. _Coward,_ she thought angrily.

Kel swung Griffin in a wide circle, catching one of Neal's attackers' blades and drawing his attack to her. He growled, and came in with a complex overhead pass that would have chopped her from head to waist, but she blocked it — barely. This man was a different sort than the first three had been. It was obvious from the way he fought that he had been trained in sword fighting, and the pain from her left arm was taking her concentration from the fight.

__

I am stone, she reminded herself while watching the man's torso for his next move. _Pain is not bothering me._

The man feinted to the right, then attacked on her weak left side. Kel blocked and immediately lunged forward in the saddle, aiming for his chest. He twisted in the saddle so her sword flew past him, then brought his sword hilt down on her fingers. She yelped, and despite her training, her fingers loosened and Griffin fell to the ground.

The Scanran chuckled evilly. He hefted his sword in one hand, assuming she had no other weapons. He lifted his sword high into the air, grinning and preparing to strike a mighty blow at neck-heighth. Kel's hand shot to her boot, and she drew a throwing knife and hurled it at the man. He stared disbelievingly as a red flower bloomed on his shirtfront and grabbed feebly at the hilt before slumping forward lifelessly.

"Kel!" Neal's shout caught her attention, and she flung herself forward on Peachblossom's neck. The blow that would have knocked her head from her shoulders instead sliced across her back, cutting her from her right shoulder to the left side of her waist. Kel gritted her teeth and wheeled Peachblossom to meet her new attacker.

She grabbed two daggers from her belt as she spun, and met the Scanran's unskilled lunge on crossed hilts. The cut on her back sent waves of agony shooting through her body as she blocked. The man withdrew and lunged three more times in quick succession, each time Kel barely meeting his blade with her hilts. The fourth time, she caught the man's blade between her daggers and twisted, hard. She heard bone crack in the man's right wrist. His sword flew in the air, and she caught it easily and chopped deeply into the unarmed man's side. She didn't wait to see where he fell. Looking at Neal, she saw that he had dispatched one of the men attacking him, so only one was left.

"Neal!" she called wearily, suddenly dead tired. "Can you handle him?"

"Yeah," Neal shouted. "Get the leader!"

The leader had turned when Kel's man fell, and began galloping back into the woods. Kel threw her daggers, both at the same time. The left hand's dagger fell pitifully short, but the right hand was on target. It pierced the Scanran leader with a sickening thud and he fell to the ground. A few seconds later, she heard a guttural yell and a loud crunch. Turning, she saw that Neal had knocked his opponent to the ground, and the unfortunate man had landed straight on his head.

Exhausted, Kel dismounted, sliding down Peachblossom's blood stained withers. Her back was throbbing in agony, and white dots were clouding the edges of her vision. "Are you okay?" she asked Neal faintly, worried for him despite her own pain. 

"Yes. I think I have a few cuts, but they aren't very deep," he said. A bloody scratch ran down the side of his face. "What about you?" 

"My back," she whispered, and things went black.

****

So? What did you think? Was it a good fight scene? Or was it stupid, and I should take it out? Hmmmm? Well, let me know! More soon! (And is it just me, or is Griffin a really dumb name for a sword? I mean, I know the meaning behind it and everything, but am I really the only one that thinks it doesn't fit?)

Also, I HAVE THE NEXT CHAPTER WRITTEN. And believe me, if you like K/N, you will LOVE the chapter. But . . . . . . . (yes, there is a but,) I want reviews. NOT THAT HARD. Just one little eensy weensy review -- from everyone -- and I will post within the next day.

Tell all your friends to read my stories!


	19. An Irritated Phoenix

****

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

An Irritated Phoenix

When Kel came to, she was sprawled face down on the ground. Her first instinct was to jerk herself upwards, but when she attempted to do so, every muscle protested violently. Her memory trickled back, and she flushed with embarrassment that she had fainted.

Then she remembered the reason behind her fainting, and grew a little worried. The place she was sitting in showed no sign of life. There was no sign of a set-up campsite in front of her, and both Neal and Byrn were nowhere to be seen.

Was she in the Realms of the Dead?

Kel tried to sit up again, and once again failed. The skin felt tight around her back, and at her movements, her back awakened with a sharp, throbbing pain. Her actions had also joggled her left arm, and it too began to burn.

__

This can't be the Realms of the Dead, she thought. _I wouldn't hurt this much if I were dead!_

Finally, on her third try, she managed to sit upright. Her back and arm wound pulled, and she winced, feeling wetness trickle down her arm. Having such a large cut made it hard for her to move. She reached her good right arm back, and felt that her clothes were crusty with dried blood. Her breastband was sliced into two pieces, but it was stuck to her body with blood. Kel looked down and saw that the gore from her injuries had soaked across into the front of her tunic. She grimaced.

"Hullo," a familiar voice called cheerfully. Kel looked up to see Neal leading their horses through a gap in the trees. "I'm glad to see you're up and running!"

"Why did you leave me all alone?!" Kel demanded through the pain. "I could have been killed by bandits!"

"Kel, I've been gone for about three minutes. I was taking our horses to water." He pulled back the brush from where he was standing, showing a clear view of a classic babbling brook.

"Well, then, why didn't you leave me some sort of sign? Some way to know that I wasn't alone in these woods? You didn't even set up _camp_, for Mithros' sake!"

Neal grinned, amused. "Turn around."

Kel winced as she spun slowly on the moss-covered floor. Right behind her was a fully prepared camp, complete with two tents and two cropped circles where the horses had been eating.

She made a sheepish face, and Neal strolled past her into the camp. Kel tried to get up, only to be stopped by the pain in her back. She groaned loudly and flopped belly-down on the ground.

"I give up!" she shouted, exasperated with the way her body was behaving. "I'm staying here!"

"You can't get up? Why?" Kel noted bemusedly that Neal sounded truly worried.

"My back hurts too much," she said, making a face and looking up at him while trying to mask her pain.

To her amazement, Neal frowned, troubled. "That is not good." He strode over to her after picketing the horses. "It looked like your wound wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it seems to be as bad as I had hoped it wouldn't be," he told her, laying down in front of her and facing her, his face less than a foot away from her own.

Kel blinked. "That made absolutely no sense at all. Why don't you try again?"

Neal sighed. "As you know, after we dispatched those bandits, you fainted." Kel blushed, than scowled. She was not happy with the amount of time she had been blushing since she came to. Neal continued. "At that time, I just wanted to get as far away from that area as possible, so I let the horses run as fast as they could in any direction, as long as it was away from the bandits. In the meantime, I was trying to heal you. But because of the fact that I was A: riding a horse, B: a little preoccupied with the chances of attack, and C: extremely tired, I was only able to stop the bleeding. I also was only able to see the wound through the gore on your shirt, which didn't make it any easier," he said, gesturing towards her blood-sodden clothes.

"But you're hurt, too! Why didn't you heal yourself?"

"I was more worried about you. You didn't look good, and you had lost so much blood that you looked halfway to invisible," he told her with a rueful smile.

"Maybe so, but this is a nasty little cut. You need to do something about it." She reached her right hand up and ran a finger down the side of his face, an inch behind the actual cut. She looked at him, at his face so close to her own just then, and saw that he was watching her intently, a look she didn't recognize in his bright green eyes. A pleasant shiver ran down her backbone. Kel's finger reached his chin and she drew it away from his face. 

Neal blinked, then continued. "We came to this here clearing, and I had to put you down on the ground in order to go about my business, namely setting up camp. And I was hoping that it wasn't a bad wound, but now I'm suspecting it is, which means I have to heal you again.

"Well, get on with it!" Kel said. She was in unexplainedly good spirits for someone who couldn't get off the ground.

"Hmmm," Neal said, preoccupied. He was frowning at her back. Then he bit his lip. "Um," he said.

"What?"

"It would probably help if I could see the wound, and I realize that you may not want to do it, but it would be best, and the fastest way to do it, and —"

"Neal," Kel interrupted him, gritting her teeth impatiently as her back throbbed. "Just hurry up and say what you're trying to say, because I'm in some serious pain."

"I need you to take off your shirt," he blurted.

"Fine," she said, making a face. "It's really not that big of a deal. But _I_ can't do it."

"Why not?"

"I can't move," she reminded him.

"Right. Um."

"What now?"

"So you want me to take off your shirt?"

"Yes, please," Kel said impatiently, wishing he could just get on with it and fix her back. She was getting tired of laying on the ground.

For some reason, that comment made him blush. She glanced up in time to catch it. The strange look was in his eyes again.

"Okay," he said, brushing hair from his eyes. "Make yourself comfortable, because I'm going to put you to sleep. It's easier to work that way."

Kel arranged herself, than told him, "Okay, I'm ready."

Gentle fingers peeled the torn edges of her shirt from her back, exposing it to open air and making the throbbing even sharper. Kel winced but didn't cry out, even when he pulled away the fabric that had been stuck in the wound. She felt him place his palms on her back, and coolness spread from his hands up her spine and into her head. She yawned once, twice, and then she knew no more.

***

When she woke up, the throbbing in her back was gone, and there was only a dull ache remaining in her arm. She yawned widely, then shook her head to clear it. She was in a tent, and the small amount of light coming in through the fabric told her that it was sometime during the night. She realized she was still wearing her blood-soaked clothes and made a face.

She sat up easily. Gathering a fresh set of clothes from saddlebags stowed conveniently beside her, she woke up Byrn, perched on a small L-shaped stick stuck into the ground.

"And where have you been all day, hmm?" Kel asked the phoenix good-naturedly. The immortal burbled sleepily before ruffling her feathers and closing her eyes again.

Kel opened the door to the tent, letting in the cool night air. She left the tent, wide awake, and headed to the stream. Splashing quietly, she rinsed herself of the remainder of their bloody battle. The clothes she placed in a cloth bag. They were ruined beyond repair.

She headed the few yards back to their camp after dressing quickly in her clean garments. She moved as quietly as a cat. As she came into the clearing, she saw a steady glow coming from Neal's tent. She paused.

Tossing her stuff by the open door of her tent, she walked to the closed door of Neal's. "Hello?" she called softly.

The flap was immediately pulled backward, and Neal frowned at her. "You are supposed to be sleeping," he told her.

She shrugged. "Oh, well. Can I come in?"

"Actually, I was just going out. It's getting stuffy in here."

"Oh," Kel said, taken aback.

"But," he continued, "I will gladly continue this oh-so-interesting conversation with you outside."

Kel waited for him, and they walked slowly over to an old oak tree. Neal leaned up against the roots with a sigh and motioned for Kel to sit next to him. She sat, propping herself up against the rough bark. She was aware of the closeness of his body to hers, and how her upper right arm was pressed against his.

"Too bad the branches are here," Neal remarked softly. "Otherwise we'd be able to see the stars." Kel nodded agreement, her head whirling with other thoughts.

They talked for rather long stretch of time; a soft, easy conversation of the kind often found between good friends. Any silences that occurred were companionable, and both of them were comfortable in the others company. After a while words trailed off, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, contemplating their own thoughts.

"Do you miss him?" Neal asked abruptly.

"Miss who?" Kel said, confused.

After a short pause, Neal answered, "Cleon."

Kel thought, actually thought about it before answering. "Sometimes. But not often. He wasn't right for me." She looked at Neal. "Why? Do you miss Yuki?"

He stared off into the distance. "Not so much anymore." He turned his head and smiled at her. "She wasn't right for me either." They stared at each other.

Kel _had_ to think of something to say. "That's . . . good," she said faintly, unable to look away. Neal reached over and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, then leaned over and kissed her, quickly — and then pulled away, as if he had done something wrong. When Kel didn't say anything, he lowered his lips to hers again.

His mouth was gentle and warm, and she knew that _this_ was right. Her hands, as if detached from her mind, rose to the back of his neck and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. The palm of his hand moved to her cheek, and he held her as they kissed.

He backed away again, looking into her face to see her reaction. "Um . . . " he started, suddenly unsure. 

Kel smiled. "Not so much, for you, with the talking," she said, and pulled him back to her. Heat raced through her body as his lips met hers, and she shivered delightfully, wrapping both arms around his neck even as he drew her closer.

They kissed with a passion created by years of uncertainty and not knowing what the other was thinking. Kel lost track of time, only knowing that she would be content to be in his arms for the rest of time. Without breaking their kiss, Neal he picked her up gently and carried her into her tent. A few minutes later, Byrn flew sulkily out of the tent, unable to sleep any longer.

****

Again, YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.


	20. Not A Dragon

****

Thanks to a few extremely insistent reviewers, the next chapter is up and running!

Okay, if you think that last part of the last chapter was out of place, DEAL WITH IT. because it was just way too painful writing this story without adding what should happen between them. what MUST happen between them. and if in _Lady Knight,_ it doesn't, I'll go insane. Anyway, here's the next chapter!

BUT FIRST: HAHAHAHAHA. My little sis is watching a soap opera. To give you a sense of the dialogue: 

WOMAN: No, really, Doctor . . . I'll be fine. *gasps and puts hand on head.* It's just a little headache.

DOCTOR: Well, I don't want to take any chances . . . After all, you did just have a brain tumor — during your pregnancy, no less.

WOMAN: Please, don't remind me . . . I'm beginning to think it was lucky our baby was kidnapped. Imagine me having to explain our child to my husband!

*Both laugh and kiss*

Ugh. Enough.

Not A Dragon

Kel woke with the sun shining straight in her face. She yawned. Then she realized that it was at least an hour after dawn, when she normally rose. Kel froze mid-yawn as she remembered what had happened the night before, and involuntarily blushed as she remembered details. She peeked beside her, but Neal wasn't there. _What could he be doing?_ she thought, perplexed.

Neal stuck his head in the tent. "I see you're _finally _up, Lady Rise-at-Dawn. You'll be happy to know I made breakfast."

Kel made an incoherent noise and buried her head in her pillow. She heard Neal laugh and walk away. She lay abed for a few more precious moments. Then, pushing off the coverlet, she located her clothes and fumbled with the ties before staggering, still half-asleep, out of the tent.

She mumbled a greeting to Neal, seated beside a small fire and cooking eggs. She sat down across from him. He glanced at her, than said, "I made over-easy — I know they're your favorite." Kel made a face, then looked at the ground, the sky — anywhere but his face.

Neal set the frying pan down with a clang on a small rock perched over the fire. "Listen," he said, addressing her, "Is last night going to change our friendship?" Kel didn't look up, or respond. "I don't think it has to," he went on. "After all, it's really not that big of a difference than being extremely close friends — which we were before. Some things do change, of course," he amended, with a wicked little grin that Kel saw out of the corner of her eye that made her blush again.

"However," he said slowly, "If you . . . don't want us to . . . I don't know, do that any more, I guess — Well, I'll honor that, for you."

Kel looked up and across the fire, into his eyes. She saw how much it was costing him to make that offer, and which answer he hoped she would choose.

She cleared her throat nervously. "No, it's okay," she said hurriedly, in a more high-pitched voice than she wanted to use. "I think I can handle it like this." 

Neal stood and walked over to her, offering her his hands and pulling her up. He caught her around the waist and looked down a mere inch to meet her gaze.

"I'd hoped you would say that," he whispered, and kissed her softly. However, he released her quickly, saying, "I'll be happy to carry on later, but the toast seems to be burning."

They ate swiftly, sharp feelings returning in regard to the fate of Tortall. Both were strangely silent most of the time, pondering what was ahead of them. (Kel for one, refused to even think about what was behind her — it took her concentration away from more important things.) With the ease of long practice, they gathered up their camp, saddled their horses, and took to the road.

It took a day and a half of fast riding until they reached the foothills of the biggest mountain in the Grimhold Range — Mt. Domei. "I'm surprised there isn't very much snow," said Kel, "They've made it as hard as possible so far, I wouldn't think they'd pass up an opportunity to make it harder."

Neal discovered a large outcropping of rock that partially hid a gaping hole in the side of the mountain. They tethered their mounts, then argued over how to best conceal them. After wasting ten minutes, Byrn gave an exasperated whistle and flew to Peachblossom's bare back, where she trilled a high note. A glowing dome grew over the horses, concealing them and the area around them for twenty or thirty feet. Then suddenly, the dome disappeared, leaving an image of a normal mountain forest.

"Are you there?" called Kel nervously. The phoenix chirped a reply.

Neal shrugged. "I guess we're supposed to go in alone." He strode into the cave, Kel following close behind.

They walked for a few minutes, until Kel made an unsettling discovery. "Neal," she said slowly. "We can still see."

"Yeah," he said. "It looks like there's some stuff on the walls that glows. Good for us, huh?"

"But look," Kel said, persistent. "There are little caves off the side. But the mossy stuff doesn't grow in those passages. It's almost like we're . . . being led, or something." Standing close to Neal, she felt him shiver.

"Knock it off!" he told her bluntly. "You're freaking me out." He moved briskly down the passage, Kel holding onto his tunic.

Up ahead, the passage yawned wider than ever, and the glowing moss stopped abruptly, as if it had been cut. A steeply dropping passage was what they saw when they reached the edge of the moss.

"Should we go down there?" Neal asked Kel, without taking his eyes off the hole. "The moss stopped."

"If we were being led, I'd think that this is where we're supposed to stop," Kel answered. They were both whispering. There was an eerie feeling, almost like they were being watched. Kel picked up a rock and threw it down into the hole. They waited for almost half a minute before hearing a distant clatter.

"That's a long way down," whispered Kel.

A low, rumbling sound came from the gaping hole. Both knights took an involuntary step backward.

"Um, Kel?" Neal whispered. "I'm not sure that throwing that thing down there was the best possible thing to have done." High, squeaky scratching followed his statement, echoing along the walls of the passage. It sounded like metal against rock.

Kel made a high pitched noise. The sounds from the pit changed abruptly again, making a sound that made their hair stand on end. It sounded like a large animal climbing up a rock face. Neal swallowed hard.

A massive head rose from the hole, followed by an equally massive body.

"I think we were a _leetle_ bit off with the whole dragon theory," Neal squeaked.

The creature rose from the pit.

****

Ooooh, yes, I know, a cliffy! But oh well, it makes the next chapter that much more desirable. In case you didn't know, I was at camp (*said in monotone* woohoo, camp) and then I was in cleveland ohio, both places where my comp isn't, which is why I couldn't update. I apologize, and promise that updates will be more frequent.

I'm thinking of changing my pen name thingy to Heartspark Dollarsign, because it's the name of my favorite song (by Everclear; download it and listen in rapture) and it's a lot more original than Lady Katharine. PLUS, SOMEONE STOLE LADY KATHARINE. I wish I was friends with the Mob – _that_ wouldn't be around for long. Anyway, what do you think about Heartspark Dollarsign? Or Witchity. I'm debating. Tell me preferences!

AND NOW FOR MY PEEPS. My wonderful wonderful reviewers who keep me writing! (heehee, does anyone else see the inspiration for Ahim in myself?) here ya go! And hey, if you (yes, you) want me (yes, me) to give you (enough already) a personalized shout, drop me a review and keep checking back!

Nessa'fur — I KNOW!!! I couldn't stand writing it without them getting together any longer. Happy happy joy joy! Read on! And thank you so much for reviewing so regularly! It makes me feel mah-velous. PS: I want a plot bunny *sniffs* Give me one! NOW! Or someone else can . . . (hint hint nudge nudge)

Kaye — Another of my absolutely brilliant regular reviewers! Sorry I was gone for so long, but I'm back now, so everything's okay. Here's more for ya!

Goldwolf — *grins sheepishly* It is getting kinda long, isn't it? Oh well. It's awesome that you liked it!

Aelron — if this chapter wasn't enough quest for ya, the next one will be!

Nytsua — me too! Here's more!

ARWHBDFAGFF — hopefully you know what that means. Sign your name!!! Pretty please?? and yeah, cleon had to go. And yeah, it's good neal took healing. Otherwise she would be DEAD. That's why Cleon is NOT *smiles sweetly* going to be who Kel ends up with! *growls* or else . . . 

Hannah — I actually _did_ rip the book in half when she said she didn't like Neal anymore. (just kidding, I could never hurt my precious books.) I'm in US, and there's only THREE MORE WEEKS. (or maybe four . . . I don't know exactly) Maybe we could work out some sort of deal . . . you know, I send you the book, you pay me twice as much as it costs . . . just kidding, but seriously . . . maybe. Email me.

WaterShadow - Whoa! Someone likes reviewing! Heehee, no worries, I do that too. Here's more!

AriStarra - actually, I have read the Redwall series, all (what is it now? 15? 16?) books, and I chose to make the rhymes not as good because I wanted them to be easy to solve. Also, making them harder takes too much energy (especially when you're trying to rhyme.)

LadyIsabelle - Ya know, I sort of wrote him with an Indian accent. Weird.

Also, does anyone think this story is getting too long? Because I could wrap it up pretty quickly if you are losing interest. Be honest, please!


	21. Not A Dragon, Continued

****

Nothing to say. Bye now.

Not A Dragon, Continued

Kel and Neal backed away in shock, gagging from the stench that came in waves from the monster. It shambled farther out of the gaping hole, its feet making screeching sounds on the stone floor, and allowing the knights to see it clearly from the mossy glow on the walls.

The thing was built like a lizard – low to the ground, on legs that were proportionally too little for its body, but in actuality were over ten feet high. The body and head alone were over forty feet long. It dragged its stomach along the ground as it shuffled, supporting the bulk of its body. Foot long, razor-sharp teeth dripped a liquid that burned and hissed when it touched the ground. The tail faded into the gloom behind it, but what she could see was thin and whiplike, looking dangerous as it whirled behind the animal.

A horrible screeching sound combined with a high pitched whistle filled the cavern whenever it moved, and looking closer, Kel saw that the screech was caused by huge plates of armor on the creature's back rubbing together as it walked. The armor covered the entire animal, so Kel couldn't see what its back was like, but the skin she could see was deathly white.

__

Armor? thought Kel, astounded. _How could a creature that huge have armor? _The armor was dented, but it fit over the animal's body closely, leaving no vulnerable space. It even had a makeshift helmet coming down over its snout. 

Focusing on the whistle, she noticed with shock that the monster's tail was built like a flute, and as it swept back and forth to help keep balance, a reedy cry was produced. As her gaze swept once more over the animal, she saw that its eyes were the pure white that comes with blindness.

__

Which of the Gods' minds spawned this beast? Kel thought, dumbfounded. Then she glanced down and saw that that the creature's claws were silver. _Silver._

"Neal," she whispered instantly. "It's an immortal!"

The creature spun its head rapidly towards her voice. _So,_ it said mildly. _I have visitors._

Kel and Neal cried out and bent to the ground. The creature's voice beat inside their heads in waves of red-hot pain, as a voice just sort of appeared in their minds. The voice was sibilant and slightly hissy, and somehow feminine.

__

I wonder how long you will last? she hissed. _My last ones were barely a heartbeat._

Kel beat back the pain, using all her training and skill to focus. "Your voice hurts us!"

__

My apologies, little one. I had forgotten what it is like to converse with mortals. The pain suddenly lessened, and although it left behind a sharp headache, it was nothing compared with the agony before.

" And what last ones?" she cried.

__

My last humans, little one. They were louder than you, though, and you seem less trouble already. But they brought me a pretty bauble. She swung her tail towards them. On the tip, Kel saw a Stone that must be the Fourth.

Beside her, she heard Neal moan, "What _are_ you?"

__

The Last. My kin are gone from this world; They have moved on to the next one. I am the Last.

"The Last _what?_"

__

I am the Last Shrillskin. But leave some questions for later, little ones. You will have much time to ask them.

"What do you mean?" Kel said, a faint panic rising in her throat.

__

You will be with me for many years. I miss companionship; you will stay with me for the rest of your time on this world. I am entertained by you mortals.

Kel's eyes widened. She looked over at Neal, horrified. But Neal was gesturing at the passage behind them, knowing that any sound would be picked up by the Shrillskin's sharp ears._ On three,_ he mouthed. Kel nodded. He held up his fist. One finger . . . two . . . three!

They spun and sprinted back the way they had come, the moss leading their way. Loose rocks scrunched under their feet as hurried feet disturbed them.

An angry hiss followed them, and faster than lightning, the Shrillskin turned and whipped its tail around with an eerie shriek, catching both of them together in cordlike coils. The tail lifted them off the ground and brought them back in front of her. The Fourth was only inches away from her hand, but Kel couldn't move her arm those inches to save her life.

__

Did you really think you could get away, mortals? You must think me a fool. I have not lived a thousand years without learning about your petty race. The immortal's voice was colder and less lenient that it was a few minutes before. _You should give up trying to leave. It only raises false hopes._

The tail released them, than swung behind them, pushing them forward into the steep drop. With a sinking heart, Kel walked forward, following the immortal into her lair. She noticed that the drop was not as steep as she had thought, but that the way the passage was built made it look like a hole.

Without a light, the going was tough. Both knights tripped and fell more than once in the first five minutes. Shortly, the tail picked them up again. _Perhaps this will be faster,_ she suggested.

The Shrillskin walked for a only a short while before the setting them down and pushing forward again. By the air on her face, Kel could tell they had entered an open space, but it was still pitch black.

__

So, little ones, what do you think? The condescending tone was back in the immortal's voice.

"It's . . . um . . . sort of dark," Neal said hesitantly.

__

My apologies – again. I forgot. She swung her tail above them in an intricate arrangement. The tail glowed, and light flowed in gentle waves from the whistle holes to certain points in the cave, and lodged themselves, casting a steady glow over the area.

The glow illuminated an immense cave, strung with stalagmites and stalactites. Gray stones had been stacked up against the wall, and before the pile was another group of stones arranged in an complex design. A small heap of broken armor and weaponry was assembled along the wall near to them. There was a water pool in the back of the glow that reflected a silver light onto the walls of the cave.

"What are those?" Neal pointed at the stones.

__

I assume you mean my Game. The way she said it sounded like a capital letter. _It is something I play to amuse myself when the time grows long without liveliness. It takes many years to learn, and many more to play. But fear not, little ones. You shall play with me before you pass._

"Mm-hmm. And what do you eat?" Neal continued. Kel shot him a look, but he ignored her.

__

You forget, I have no need of food or water. However, if you wonder what you will eat, there are fish in that pool, as well as a great quantity of water.

"Mm-hmm. And why and how do you wear armor?"

__

It is part of our being. We make it as a symbol of our rise to maturity – from metal seen no longer on this earth. Once we wear it, it never leaves us.

"Mm-hmm. And what are those?"

__

Once again, I can only assume what you point at. Is it the heap of junk you call armor?

"It seems to be, yes."

__

Those are the remains of my last guests.

"I see. Did you know that a sword in there is seeping with magic?"

__

I did. Would you like it?

"Yes, I would. May I take the other magicked sword as well?"

__

Of course. You pose no threat to me, and you will never leave, so to endanger anyone else.

"Thank you." Neal strode over to the pile of armor and rooted through it for a moment before straightening up holding two swords. He unbuckled his own sword and let it fall, then clipped the new one on. He threw the second one to Kel, who caught it off-balance.

"Neal!" she hissed under her breath. "What are you doing?!"

"I don't think we'll be staying here for very long," he answered in normal tones. Appalled, Kel shot a look at the Shrillskin, than glared at Neal.

"Do you really think it matters if we whisper or not? She can hear us no matter what," he told her. There was an arrogant tone in his voice that she _did not like_. 

__

You are insolent, little one, even if you speak truth. And you will not be escaping. Find yourselves beds. I grow weary of your confidence. Perhaps when you wake you will see sense.

"Don't tell me you're going to sleep, Lady Shrillskin. Don't you think we'll get out?" Neal said contemptuously.

The murderous tail whipped through the air and lashed him across the back, leaving an angry bleeding welt. Neal cried out and arched his back in pain.

__

A little reminder, mortal. I am larger, stronger, older, and smarter than you will ever be. Don't think to cross me. Now find your bed, before I really lose my temper.

The temper that got lost was Kel's.

"_What_ are you doing?" she shouted furiously, forgetting the immortal for a few seconds. "Do you _want_ to be killed? First you're curious and nice, and then you change and are totally asinine! _What is wrong with you?_"

Neal smiled through the pain. "Just keeping her on her toes."

Kel groaned, exasperated, and bent to cover his wound. Then, they curled up next to each other, propped against a pile of rocks.

Just as Kel was finally drifting off, her body caught some signal and was suddenly alert. She sat bolt upright, and nudged Neal, who was sleeping. He came awake instantly and silently.

Kel stared at the passage from which they had come. She squinted, her eyes fighting the natural gloom of the cave, even when lit by the moss. Was the passage getting lighter?

"Is it getting —" Neal was cut off as a trilling shriek came from the passage. The two knights stared as a burning fireball shot down the passage, coming to a halt above their heads. For a few seconds, the form of a bird was visible before being covered in a radiant light. The light was too bright to look at at all, and Kel and Neal shielded their eyes from the brilliance.

An earthshaking roar came from behind them. The Shrillskin fought to cover her eyes, accustomed to darkness for hundreds of years. Neal shoved Kel roughly. "Go, go, _go!_"

She stumbled to her feet and tore down the exit. Neal yelled, "Byrn! The Fourth!" Kel halted and turned, holding up her hand to sheild her eyes. She watched the fireball dip and weave, avoiding the tail that whipped furiously in vain to try and hit her. Suddenly, she dove downwards, than resurfaced. Another cry came from the Shrillskin, this time one of rage. Byrn swooped towards them, her light throwing the passage into high relief as they ran up the steep hill.

They felt the ground shake as the Shrillskin began to pursue them. Kel and Neal raced for the exit. Kel stumbled and almost fell, but was caught and yanked upwards by Neal, almost pulling her arm out of her socket.

The breath came short in Kel's lungs, and her legs felt on fire. They had passed the end of the moss long ago, and Kel was beginning to think they had taken a wrong turn. She could feel the Shrillskin gaining on them, and they couldn't keep running forever. Then she squinted, panting for breath. Was the passage getting lighter? _Really_ getting lighter?

It was. They shot out of the cave mouth and took off down the rocky slope, pausing only seconds to grab their horses' reins and lead them down as well. The ground stopped shaking, and they heard a cry of deep anguish and sorrow. They never looked back.

Finally, they slowed down. Kel's calves cramped, and pain shot through her side. She wheezed. Neal, beside her, stood with his hands on his head. Byrn hovered in front of them. She opened her silver claws, and a small grubby stone with a runic four fell from them to land on the ground in front of the two knights.

****

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. please.

*CONTEST* I need a name for a ship. If you give me a name for a ship, I might use it, and that would be cool. So help me think of a name for a ship! 


	22. A Noble Landing in the Copper Isles

****

WOOHOO! I've been watching the Fast and the Furious, and ya know what? Now my writer's block is gone. Maybe it was sweaty Paul Walker driving fast cars . . . yumyum. Also, in case you haven't noticed, I changed my pen name — sort of. Anyway, here is the next chapter!

A Noble Landing in the Copper Isles

Kel stood at the prow of the _Surfsoarer_, a luxury ship bound for the Copper Isles. She looked out over the seemingly endless expanse of the Emerald Ocean, and let her mind drift back over the past three weeks.

***

After they had recovered the Fourth, Kel and Neal had immediately headed out of the Grimhold Mountains. They didn't know how long the Shrillskin's tunnel system stretched, and neither of them wanted to stick around and find out.

It took them a little over four days to reach the foothills, and another day to reach flat ground. They had a minor skirmish with another band of Scanrans, but this time there were only four, and they disposed of them fairly quickly.

Two more days on the road should have brought them to the Tortallan border, but instead, Kel and Neal found themselves on the outskirts of the Scanran base camp. The two knights were forced to go all the way around on the coast. Finally, they came to the end of the Scanrans, only to run into a group of Copper Islanders.

"Is it just me, or are things looking very, very bad?" Neal muttered to Kel as they beat a hasty retreat.

Luckily, they were able to thread a path in the forest, right between the two enemy camps. They exited the forest when they crested a small hill, and found themselves looking at the revised Tortallan border. The kingdom was barricaded against entry.

Kel and Neal made a quick decision.

The next night, under cover of darkness, Neal snuck to the city walls and levitated himself over them, taking care that the sentries didn't notice him. Once inside, he made his way by back halls and secret passages to Myles's suite, and talked late into the night with him. Just before dawn broke, Myles escorted him out a gate, heavily cloaked and with great baskets of food.

Kel was waiting for him, nervously biting her fingernails. She waited for him to get to the other side of the small hill, than bit her lip, asking, "How is it?"

Neal was grim. "Not good." He gave her a quick rundown. Fiefs Disart, Josu's Dirk, Vikison Lake, Runnerspring, Darroch, Blythdin and seven others were all taken, and all four enemy forces were closing in on the capital.

"And Mindelan?" Kel asked, closing her eyes.

"Mindelan is surrounded on all sides and under siege, but so far, they're holding up," he told her gently. They both knew that Queenscove was quite near the center of the kingdom, and therefore pretty much out of danger.

She sat silently for a few minutes, eyes closed. A single tear trickled out of her right eye. When Kel finally opened her eyes, they had a merciless look in them. Angrily, she brushed the single tear away.

"Let's go," she said. "We don't have much time."

***

"You're all wet."

Neal's voice jolted her out of her memories. She blinked and shook herself, sparkling beads of water falling from her body. Kel looked down. She was covered in thousands of tiny water droplets, the result of standing in the spray for a continuous amount of time. She turned to Neal and smiled. "I know." There was a short pause.

"You know," Neal began. "I don't think we can just waltz into Copper Isles, not with you looking like . . . well, a lady knight. You know that this is an extremely conservative kingdom, and bad things could, and probably will, happen if you beat _anyone_."

"Are you saying I should _disguise_ myself?" Kel's voice was incredulous.

"Well . . . yeah," Neal said.

Silence.

"It was just a suggestion," Neal said.

Silence.

"Nnghh," Neal said.

"Just _what_ type of person were you thinking I would dress up as?" Kel asked, her voice dangerously low.

Neal turned a little to the left and looked over Kel's shoulder. His eyes flicked to her face, than back over her shoulder. Kel turned slowly. Standing a short while behind her was a lady she recognized from Court. The lady was wearing at least three layers of petticoats, and a dress covered in more flounces than Kel could ever remember seeing on a single dress ever before in her life. The lady had an elaborate hairdo. Standing beside her was an elegantly dressed man.

"Absolutely not. No way in the Dark God's Realms," Kel hissed. Pause.

"Kel . . . "

Three hours later, Kel, leading Topaz (an appropriately fine-boned mare for a noble lady)_,_ dashed off the pier and onto Island soil. She was garbed in an intricately worked dress. However, it was about three inches too short, and almost obscenely tight across the shoulders. _Why did that lady have to be so gullible?_ she thought despairingly. _She bought that story about Neal's "sister's" wardrobe getting lost so quickly you'd think it happened every day! And the _maids! _Clucking over my height, exchanging glances over my muscles and bruises! I wish I had my glaive!_ she finished passionately.

As soon as she got onto dry land, she flounced in the direction of the tree line, but stopped after several steps. "Augh!" she cried. "This dress makes it impossible to do anything but flounce!" Neal snorted.

Kel adjusted her petticoats furiously. "I still don't see why I couldn't have hidden my hair and been a boy."

"M'dear," Neal drawled, "You'd have to hide other things than your hair." He glanced obviously at her chest. Kel glared furiously at him and mounted Topaz.

Or rather, she tried to. Her dress — her gown, it wasn't a dress — her gown tangled her legs and hindered her attempt to mount. Neal watched with interest as she fought with the ruffles and lace, and chuckled when she finally flung her skirts down in disgust.

"A little help?" she said.

Neal offered her his hand, but she grabbed his shoulder and levered herself up, sitting astride the saddle. Rubbing his shoulder ruefully, Neal swung into the saddle of Peachblossom.

"Oof," he said. "How do you manage to sit on this horse? His back is absolutely enormous!"

Kel eyed him. "I wouldn't ride him too fast. You might fall off," she told him smugly.

"Remember to sit sidesaddle, Lady Keladry," he retorted. "Wouldn't the nobles think it strange to find a lady who rides like a knight? Go faster," he told Peachblossom, who trotted into the trees.

"Not if the lady is a knight," muttered Kel. She yelled after him, "First stop is to get me some new dresses!"

****

Okay. Fairly pointless chapter, but I don't care. I needed to write something, and I had to set up the next section. So now that I know where I'm going, there will be more updates more often. And don't worry, the next chapter will be better — hopefully.

Also, if you hadn't noticed, I changed my pen name to Lady Katharine Heartspark. I like it better, and it's more unique. So yay for Heartspark!

Augh! I just re-read the chapter. I hate it! Augh! Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad! Sorry! Better chapter next time! Ack! It's so bad and boring that I want to throw up. Yuck.


	23. deGrindemark Manor

****

Allrighty! The last chapter was horrible. I apologize once again. But now, I'm happy! I have a new chapter! And stuff happens in it! Yay for stuff happening! Okay. Enough said.

DeGrindemark Manor

Kel and Neal located a dressmaker's shop in the first major town they came to, a day and a half's ride from the pier. Kel bought three dresses, and, although the seamstress tried to convince her otherwise, all were free of lace and ruffles.

They spent the night in the town's inn, (Byrn slept on the rafter) and woke an hour after dawn feeling refreshed. The two knights had agreed that the best place to start looking was in the capital city, Caloria, so they set off for it as soon as they mounted.

Three hours later, Neal was fed up with the Copper Isle terrain.

"Ow!" he cried as the nineteenth bush jabbed him sharply in the side. "Mithros's loincloth! _What_ is _with_ this forest?"

Kel looked sullenly at her torn hem. "I don't know! I've never been in a forest this thick before! Tortallan forests are _nowhere near_ this overgrown! And there's nowhere else to go—Ow!" She grabbed and broke the offending branch and flung it into the forest.

Neal looked down at Peachblossom, looking past Byrn, who was clutching the horse's mane. "The horses can't keep this up much longer. They're just throwing themselves at the brush — look, Peachblossom's already got a few ugly scratches, and even though Topaz is smaller, she has some scratches, too."

"Well, _what_ are we going to —" Kel broke off. Ahead of them, she had heard a woman giggle.

"Oh, Edward, stop it!" The woman's tone was high pitched and flirtatious. She paused, and the two knights heard a man speak, but they couldn't make out what he said. The woman giggled again. "Edward, _no!_ We can't do that . . . not here, anyway."

Just then, Topaz stepped on a branch. It cracked loudly, echoing through the forest. Kel swore softly. Immediately the voices stopped.

"Who's there?" Edward called warily.

Kel shrugged at Neal and guided Topaz through a bush, Neal right behind her. Both of their swords were in easy reach. They emerged into a small clearing, and were able to see Edward and the lady. It was evident from the way they were dressed that they were both nobles. Edward looked to be in his early thirties. He had light brown hair that already had some gray hairs in it. The lady looked to be a bit younger, maybe in her early twenties. Her hair was light blonde, and her face was extremely made up.

The lady gasped. She rushed to Topaz's side. "My lady! Your gown! It's torn!" She grabbed the aforementioned hem and smoothed her finger over it, clucking sorrowfully. Kel exchanged a horrified look with Neal, who just raised his eyebrows.

Edward strolled over to Neal. "Having a hard time in the forest, eh?" The man winked at Neal, who stared. Then he sort of jumped, and answered the man.

"Just slightly, yeah," he admitted. Edward chuckled.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Edward deGrindemark. This is my lady, Helena." Edward bowed. Helena curtsied. They both straightened up and looked expectantly at Neal.

"Oh, right," he said. "My name is . . . Gabriel. Gabriel . . . um . . . Queenscove. This is my lady . . . Madylene." Neal inclined his head deeply, and Kel copied him, relieved she wouldn't have to curtesy.

"Queenscove?" the lady tittered. "That sounds like a _Tortallan_ name! How unfortunate!"

"A delight to meet you both! Where are you from? You're unquestionably not from around here — you'd know better than to go trekking in such baneful woods that we have here!" said Edward. He seemed to have an extensive vocabulary.

Kel glanced, panic-stricken, at Neal, but he didn't even blink. "We're from Carthak," he answered smoothly. "We just arrived here in your beautiful Isles, and unfortunately, we're lost. Do you think you could guide us to the nearest town, and perhaps to an inn you favor?"

"Of course! We'll have no trouble doing such. But you must allow yourselves to stay with us. We of noble breed must stick together, you know." The man winked at Kel and Neal again, then whirled on his heel, offered Helena his arm, and led the way to a small path hidden between the trees.

We of noble breed? Kel mouthed to Neal, eyebrows raised. Neal rolled his eyes: what can you do? He mouthed, We'll talk later. Kel nodded. She turned her horse and followed the Copper Isle nobles.

After a short and rather pleasant ride (the forest thinned out shortly after they left the clearing), Kel and Neal found themselves at the door of an enormous fortified manor with a sign out front identifying it as deGrindemark Manor. Edward and Helena didn't even bother to stop at the gate– they just kept striding forward. 

"Hello, Bronsley!" called Edward cheerfully. The captain of the guard waved down at the two figures from his lookout post on the wall before leaning over and calling down. Immediately, the portcullis began to rise, and the two Tortallan knights led their horses slowly into the courtyard.

"Leave your horses, loves – we've got servants for that," called Helena. Neal swung down from Peachblossom, wincing slightly as he hit the ground.

"Leave it to your big dumb horse to make me saddlesore," he muttered to Kel. Peachblossom tried to bite him.

Kel dismounted from Topaz as ladylike as she could. Apparently, it wasn't ladylike enough for the lady Helena of deGrindemark Manor, because she frowned, slightly confused, then shook her head as if to shake away any doubts about their new visitors. Whirling around so her skirts flew out (skirts with numerous ruffles, Kel was horrified to see), Helena walked confidently to the large oaken double doors leading out of the courtyard and said in a impressive voice, "_Welcome_ to deGrindemark Manor."

Edward walked up behind her and patted her shoulder as he said, "Now, you can come inside, as my lady has forgotten to mention. You should see where you will be staying."

Helena looked at him, somewhat peeved. "I didn't forget, love. I just hadn't mentioned it yet."

"Yes yes, Helena," said Edward absently. "Let's make haste, younglings. I haven't had my supper yet, and I'm thoroughly famished. I hope Cookie has made enough for four, though." He grabbed Helena's hand and led the group into the manor.

It took all of Kel and Neal's training to hold their jaws up. The entire manor was decorated with costly hangings and tapestries. It screamed old money – no, it didn't scream. It whispered and murmured of hidden safes and family heirlooms, and the two Tortallan knights felt acutely uncomfortable.

Once more, the two Copper Islanders strode ahead of Kel and Neal, leading the way through the cavernous halls. The two knights walked quickly behind them, not wanting to get lost.

Suddenly, Helena halted. "Dear!" she cried, looking at Kel. "You're hardly fit for dinner. How can you stand being so . . . dirty?"

Kel looked down. There was a tear above the hem of her gown on the left side, and three large spots of dirt on the front. She expected there to be more along the back, where saddle grease might have stained it. But that was hardly _dirty_.

"I . . . don't know! What, oh _what_ am I going to do?" she said, wringing her hands. She caught a glimpse of Neal looking thoroughly amused at her acting.

Helena shook her head. "I'll send someone to fetch your saddlebags. I trust you have a suitable dinner gown packed?" she said shrewdly.

"Of course," Kel said smoothly.

Helena snapped her fingers. A serving boy appeared at her side. She whispered in his ear, and he left the party at a run. Helena directed Kel to an empty room.

"Three serving maids will meet you here." She looked depressed. "But I'm afraid there isn't enough time for a bath. Do you think you can manage, or should we send you supper in your rooms?"

"I'm sure I'll be able to look presentable in no time, Lady," Kel said soothingly, but inside she was appalled that the lady though she needed a bath. It was her clothes that were dirty. She was almost pristine!

Half an hour later, Kel followed a serving maid into a massive banquet hall, but the only table that was set was the high table – set on a ledge, above everyone else. Edward, Helena and Neal were already seated. The lord and lady sat and waited expectantly for Kel to sit. She walked up to her chairs, a servant came from the wings and pulled out her chair.

Kel sat – like a knight. She quickly realized her mistake and scootched up, smoothing her skirts like she had seen court ladies do, but it was too late. She looked up and saw Helena with that same expression – a sort of confused frown. Mentally, Kel could have kicked herself for making her disguise even more shallow than it had to be. She knew, or could guess, how to sit like a lady. Who knew how many more complicated things she'd have to guess at – the right degree of curtesy, how to greet newcomers.

"Brrrrrrring on the firrrrrst courrrrrse!" called the servant, startling both the Tortallans.

The first course was a fresh garden salad. After that, mock turtle soup. After that came four more courses – not including dessert. The courses kept coming, until Kel was about ready to die from eating too much.

"Enough!" cried Edward enthusiastically. "If I eat any more, my breeches will burst! And we don't want that. At least, not until later . . ." he added with a sly glance at Helena.

"Edward!" she said, reddening.

"Ahem." Neal coughed politely. The lord and lady turned to look at him. "We really are quite tired–"

"Of course!" cried Edward. "Wandering lost in a forest is no way to spend an afternoon!"

"– and we would appreciate it if we could retire to our rooms," Neal finished.

"Of course!" Edward cried again. As well as being somewhat of a walking thesaurus, he was also very excitable. "JOSEPH!"

Both Tortallan knights jumped at the man's unexpected booming call. A servant boy, no older than Neal and Kel themselves, peeked his head from the wings.

"Come here, boy." Edward motioned towards the table. The boy walked hesitantly toward them. "Show these good people to the biggest guest wing we have, please – and be quick about it!"

"As you wish, milord," said the boy with a bow. He turned, and bowed again to Kel and Neal. "Follow me, please, milord and milady." Joseph turned smartly and led the way out of the hall.

Before they could push their chairs back, the other servant came and pulled them. Kel and Neal stood up. Neal lifted his arm, bent at the elbow. Kel stared at him. Neal raised his eyebrows the slightest bit and inclined his arm. Kel suddenly realized what she was supposed to do, and laid her arm on top of his, so her fingers laid on top of his.

"We thank the generous lord and lady for a magnificently prepared meal, and for their hospitality in letting us stay in their manor," Neal said elegantly.

"Yes," agreed Kel, a little belatedly.

"My pleasure, Gabriel – and of course, same to you, Lady Madylene," he added with a wink. Helena inclined her head.

"If you will, milord and milady?" said Joseph mildly. They turned and followed him out the door, once again following close behind his quickly walking figure. He led them to a set of double doors and produced a key from somewhere in his uniform.

"Here is the key, milord," he said, presenting it to Neal. Neal thanked him, and the boy turned and walked away. Neal opened the doors to the guest rooms. They were almost the size of the banquet hall.

"Mithros." Neal shook his head. "These people don't do 'small.'"

Kel sank into a heavily cushioned armchair. "Neal, I can't do this. I screwed up so many times just tonight! I think that Helena woman knows something's amiss. We have to get out of here – quickly!"

"Well, m'dear," Neal drawled. "There's nothing we can do about it tonight, so . . . " he gestured at the bed. "Let's go to sleep, or at least . . . to bed," he finished with a suggestive look on his face.

"Very well, Lord Gabriel," Kel drawled right back. "But let me get out of this disturbing garment first," she added normally, grimacing at her gown.

"That would be part of the process, yes," said Neal slowly. Kel laughed, and didn't protest when he pulled her into his embrace.

****

So. I liked that chapter! I liked writing it, and I like Edward and Helena. I think they're cool. Just a few notes . . . 1) At the beginning of _Squire_, the butcher says, "Mithros . . ." then looks at Kel and changes whatever he's going to say to shield. I'm assuming it was something, hmmm, _less_ than appropriate for PG-13 rating, so I'm keeping it to loincloth because it's funny, 2) Wandering lost in the woods is a personal experience. As in I was lost in the woods for five hours in the dark with fourteen people and one flashlight and thick bushes. If you are interested and want to learn more about this experience, I will be more than happy to oblige you through email, 3) The mock turtle soup is a reference to _Alice in Wonderland_, because that book is the best ever, 4) I always wanted to name someone Bronsley because it's such a dumb name, which is why the captain of the guard is named Bronsley, and 5) Salad course, then soup course is actually the proper way to start a multiple course meal. Oh, and also, I think the part at the end is really cute – between Neal and Kel. Oh, and also, I used a lot of –––'s in this chapter, if you didn't notice. It bothers me but oh, well.

OHMYGOD OHMYGOD OHMYGOD. _Lady Knight_ comes out in my area on AUGUST 27!!!!!!! Today is AUGUST 8!!!!! Technically, AUGUST 9, since I'm writing past midnight!!!! OHMYGOD OHMYGOD OHMYGOD!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!

Long author's note. Sorry. Oh wait. SHOUTOUTS! Yay for reviewers! I love you all! *sobs like winning miss america* Keep reviewing, and check back because I know where I'm going with the story, I just have to write it!

Hannah – replies to your comments, in order: thank you; I noticed that too!; thank you; why not?! They're MADE for each other!; I highly doubt it; yes I am; thank you; okay, here it is; thank you; you're welcome.

Songbreeze the Omnipresent – The next chapter is here! Yay! And I do italics by writing my story in microsoft word, under html format. I just hit command-i and I get italics, and then save as .html and upload, and POOF! Italics! (god I love computers . . . well sort of, if they didn't crash I'd love them more.)

Kaye – Get another roll of film, because (as you know if you're reading this,) she's been in a dress or two for the entire chapter.

KeladryLadyKnight – Thank you much! I worked really hard on the plot (it had been itching my brain for a while) and I'm glad _someone_ thinks this isn't too long, because I was beginning to wonder . . .

Loony – Yes, Kel in a dress is funny. Yes, they are perfect for each other. (HOW CAN PEOPLE NOT SEE THAT?!?!) Yes, Neal is pretty damn hot. (Is this wrong? To think a character in a book is hot? I hope not, because Neal's not the only one . . .) Yes, Brandon Boyd is hot, and I LOVE THE GUY WHO PLAYS OLIVER WOOD!!! His name is sean biggerstaff (HAHA! Biggerstaff! Let's hope so . . . hee hee!) and he rocks my world. And yes, Cleon is an evil son-of-a-bitch who needs to die.

The Dark Lady – Thank you!

Dragon Girl Revlis – HA! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD EVERYONE! THE CHAPTER WAS BORING! Whew. I knew someone would agree with me! and I think this one's much better – do you?

Clarylissa – Thanks! 

Faithful – You have no idea how glad I am that my writer's block is gone! And I hope it's one of the best, I spend enough time on it. *growls at computer* although that's mostly working with this damn mac that hates me . . . 

Camp Writer – Yeah, it worked out something like that. I think. Sort of . . .

Dragon Queen – No, I haven't been silenced by government spies or squashed by bugs . . . but now I'm scared I'm going to be. I don't think you can buy Shrillskins at a pet shop . . . yet, but who knows, what with all the bioengineering going on. And hooray hooray for little birdies!!!

Okay, I think I got everyone. If I didn't, review again and tell me, and then I'll say hi! Okay, so review review! Everyone review!

AUGUST 27!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I can't wait that long. 


	24. Transportation

****

HAHA! HAHA! YES. I finally got my permit and I just went driving!!! The power!!! Ahhhhhhhh. Well, in my adrenaline-powered state, I got it together enough to write another chappie! Sorry it took so long, yucky soccer tryouts take up sooooo muccccch timmmme. Oh well. enjoy!

Transportation

For the second or third time since her quest started, Kel slept late. The comfort of a warm feather bed was something she hadn't felt in a while, and her body was making up for time spent sleeping on rocks and hard ground.

She got up when the sun had risen high enough in the morning sky to hit her straight in the face. Kel sat up in bed, yawning. She turned to look at Neal, and saw that he was facing the opposite direction, so the sun wasn't in his face at all.

"Lucky," she muttered before throwing back the covers and locating a new dress from her saddlebags. Neal just made sleep-noises and settled deeper in the bed.

She got dressed quickly and made her way downstairs. Edward and Helena were already up, sitting in the banquet hall finishing off a four-course breakfast. She was immediately and excitedly invited to finish it with them, and she accepted.

"You must wake Lord Gabriel up, my dear," said Edward. "Elsewise, we'll be late in starting off!" Kel bit down a little too hard on her toast. She took an extra long time chewing.

"Ahem," she said politely. "Starting off?"

"Of course! For the King's Gala! That is the reason you came to our Islands, is it not?" Helena trilled.

"Ah . . . Of course," Kel said faintly. "Let me just go wake him."

She excused herself and walked quickly to the door. In the hallways, she hiked up her skirts and ran to her rooms. Luckily, no one was in the hall to see her unladylike antics.

"Neal!" she cried, bursting in the bedroom door.

Neal jumped awake, scrabbling for his sword. "What! What's going on?!"

"We're going to the King's Gala! That's why Edward and Helena think we've come!"

"What?" Neal said, squinting at her. "What King's Gala? Where?"

"I have no idea! But we're going!"

A few muddled minutes later, Kel and Neal entered the banquet hall, stately moving down the long rows of empty chairs.

"Gabriel! So nice of you to join us! We've told Cook to pack a movable brekkie — we're leaving now!" The lord and lady swept past the two Tortallan knights and took of through the labyrinthine halls, forcing Kel and Neal to follow them.

"These people don't like to move slow, now, do they?" Neal muttered.

"I can remember someone else doing the exact same thing," Kel shot back. Neal sneered elegantly before running into Edward's back.

"Oof! Here we are! Ascend!" said Edward.

They had reached the courtyard, and Kel wasn't at all ready for what they faced. There were two four-poster beds sitting before them, surrounded by sixteen burly men. She saw Peachblossom and Topaz tied up at the side, saddled but not tightly.

"Wha—" she started, mystified.

Neal interrupted her. "Thank you for loaning us a litter, Lord Edward," he said with a meaningful glance at Kel.

"It was nothing, Gabriel. Now climb on, so we can begin!"

Neal helped Kel up, but once again, instead of using his hand, as was proper, she levered herself up using his shoulder. She was already inside the litter, but Neal looked quickly back and saw Edward and Helena exchange expressive glances. His thoughts flew.

"Madylene, you really should do something about your balance. It's an absolute liability on a horse, you know," he called, with a wink at Edward. The furrows in the lord's brow eased, and he winked back.

"My balance—" Kel began loudly, but by then Neal was already inside the litter with her.

"Is perfectly fine, I know. Yet you still use my shoulder, not my hand, to help yourself up with. Not like a lady." Kel fell silent. "Next time, try to be a little less conspicuous? Please? And I know that you're learning this from scratch, but listen to me. I've noticed my share of Court Ladies, so I know how they act."

"Oh, have you?" Kel said dangerously.

Neal glanced at her, saw her expression, and promptly stuck his head outside of the curtains, shouting, "We're ready, Lord Edward! Lead the way!"

They rode, or rather sat while eight people moved them, for most of the day. At lunch, Kel was itching to ride, but Neal convinced her not to even ask.

"I suppose we can't ask where we're going, can we?" she asked Neal at one point, sitting propped up on some cushions inside the litter.

"Of course not," Neal said. "We're already supposed to know."

Gradually, sound began to grow outside the thick curtains of the litter. Kel and Neal conversed in hushed tones so Edward and Helena wouldn't hear; they were hurriedly trying to figure out where they were headed. A look outside the litter didn't do much good, as all they saw were trees and bushes. The noise steadily grew louder, but Kel and Neal were resigned to being passengers.

At around dinnertime, Edward's voice penetrated the thick curtains of their litter. "Ahh, here we are! The Grand Palace!"

****

All right, here's my explanation for that chapter. There's more to come, soon, because I've been writing it, but I thought the chapter was getting too long so I cut it down to the first possible logical break for a chapter. Sorry! This one was short, but I haven't updated for a while and I felt an inexplicable need to. Does anyone else experience this? Anyway, the next chapter should be up within the next few days, barring any sort of government silencing, or any other event that would conceivably silence my writing.

Ummm . . . so many people reviewed! Yay for reviews! Here are replies! Yay for replies!

Epitaph Munku-JGSPTV: okay, first of all, what the hell does your name mean??? It's awesome, though. Yes yes, Cleon needs to go AWAY!!! Hopefully he will. ONLY A WEEK TILL LADY KNIGHT!!!! And you can order it online (even the other side of the world isn't far enough away from eBay!) but you knew that, right? ;) 

Gaia: Ahh! So much writing! It makes me feel really really cool! Thanks so much for all the ACTUAL WRITING ADVICE! YAY! I will go back and change (some of) it sometime in the new future. And for a new pn . . . how about zucchini bandit? I'll let you figure out whether I'm joking or not.

Phoenixdreams: thanks very much! And I know, it was, but I had to get them out of the way. Woohoo for favorites!

Loke: I know! I love Byrn! I'm a TOTAL K/N shipper . . . can't stand her with anyone else. and if she ends up with cleon I will be REALLY REALLY MAD! Ugh. Now you've got me thinking about it. must move on.

Dragon Fire: LADY KNIGHT comes out where I am on august 27!!! Yay!!!

Keita: hey, did you know that your pn is an anagram for my real name? Isn't that cool! Thanks for all your reviews . . . they were really inspiring! And I know muchos gracias is spanish, I was saying I was sorry if I spelled them wrong because I'm taking french, so I don't know how to spell spanish words . . . get it? merci beaucoup, how's that? And also, Cleon's marriage isn't arranged since forever, it's just been implied to be since his mom is (apparently) very anal. Anyway . . . yeah.

Bobo: there's more now!

Dragon Queen: I think Edward is hilarious too, but I haven't seen the Man in the Iron Mask. :( I guess I'll have to. And sorry, but Kel's in dresses for at least another chapter. *winces* don't kill me . . .

Quackers: it makes me so happy when you say it's one of the best! Tell all your ff.net buddies to read it!!! 

Valeria: ya know, I just don't think I can make Neal get married. It's just a bit too . . . I don't know, settled I guess. I'm waiting for the great Tammy to make that decision. (aside: she must. SHE MUST.)

Loony: Thank you for that lovely course in meal presentation. And I wasn't Queen Elizabeth, but I was a queen . . . ahem, queen of the savages in eastern mongolia, but still! And yes, I hope to find out about sean biggerstaff too, (please, god, please)

Larzdinn: I LOVE K/N. That is all.

Songbreeze the Omnipresent: You're getting another shoutout, too! Your pn kicks major butt! I love it. and no problem about those italics. And is there something wrong about laughing while your mother's in the room because *coughs* I end up doing that . . . can't restrain myself . . . must go now.

Penpen: Let's hope it's not wrong to love characters in books . . . I'm in major trouble if it's some cosmic no-no.

Nessa'fur: No, I did not ever get a plot bunny. *looks hopeful* wink wink nudge nudge a nod's as good as a yes to a blind bat ( or something to that effect, I haven't seen monty python in a really long time)


	25. King's Banquet and Ball

****

Well, here is the other half of my (sadly) chopped in half chappie. Don't worry, stuff happens in this chapter, and it's nessescary to the plot, so if ya don't like it, live with it. or you could check back in a few days, when the next chapter is up and running . . . 

King's Banquet and Ball

Kel and Neal flew bolt upright from their reclining positions on the pillows in the litter when they heard Edward's voice. A heated, mouthed, comical-looking conversation followed (complete with wild gestures) but it was cut off abruptly when Edward flung back the curtains and said, "Come, friends! We must not be late!" He offered Kel his hand, and she stepped down from the litter without having to grab at his shoulder.

When Kel had a chance to look around, her breath caught in her throat. To begin with, they were inside an absolutely gargantuan courtyard. It seemed that the people of the Copper Isles all built their buildings along the same lines, with a useful courtyard in the middle, the building in a U shape around the courtyard, with a long barricaded wall along the perimeter.

The Palace of the King of the Copper Isles was a bigger building than anything she had ever seen before. The Tortallan Palace was dwarfed in comparison. It was built out of thousands of tons of marble, but with trim and inlay of other costly stones. The very top spiral tower seemed to touch the clouds. It was becoming fairly obvious that Copper Islanders placed a lot of value on appearance.

"Come, come — We must away!" called Edward gallantly as he strode toward the gate to the inner palace, dragging Helena along with him. "The King waits!" Kel and Neal hurried after him, aware of the two royal guards that dropped into place behind them and in front of Edward. 

The man walked around the left side of the Palace structure and headed alongside the giant walls. Kel and Neal followed. After turning the corner, they were surprised once more by what they saw.

The back section of the barricade wall was nonexistent. It opened on a picturesque view of the Emerald Ocean, tapering off over a rounded horizon. Close to ten minutes of fast walking brought them to the back of the Palace, where they saw the reason for the missing wall: at minimum, there was a four-hundred foot high cliff face, disappearing into the clear depths of the ocean.

At the back wall of the Palace itself, they were met with a set of double doors and two guards on duty. The guards merely saluted Edward and motioned for him to go on through.

"Faster this way," explained Edward. "Don't have to mess with all the people in the halls of the Palace, just have to go around the outside."

They followed Edward, who obviously knew where he was going, through another set of convoluted corridors. After walking for a short while, they came upon a door intricately carved with what looked like some sort of language. Edward halted in front of it.

"The Throne Room. That stuff on the door — Ancient language — Old Islespeak, I believe it's called. Been lost for centuries, though," Edward explained briefly with a motion at the door. "Can we be admitted?" he continued, his comment directed at the doorman.

"Just a minute, milord. The Lord and Lady Pagladine are still being greeted." The doorman replied. Mere seconds later, the door swung open into the room, and an overly dressed couple strolled out, looking pleased.

"Go on in, milord," said the doorman. Edward inclined his head in return and strode through the already open door with Helena on his arm. Kel and Neal followed behind, taking a good look at the Throne Room.

There was a long, royal purple carpet leading to a raised platform in front of them. On the walls were tapestries of battle scenes, but they were woven in shades of violet. The King and Queen's throne were both intricately carved, and glazed with a deep shade of violet that reflected light from the balls hanging on the sides of the room. Both thrones were occupied, and both occupants wore purple velvet cloaks.

On a chair slightly to the left of the King and Queen sat the famously intelligent and stunning Lady Katharine, surrounded by at least a dozen of extremely attractive young men.

****

Haha. Haha. No.

On a chair slightly to the left of the King and Queen sat a middle-aged man with gray, balding hair. He stuck out miserably, dressed as he was in feeble neutrals, as opposed to the extreme violet coloring of both the room and the King and Queen themselves. Kel thought it odd that such a man would be welcome in the room. However, the man was put out of Kel's mind when the King began to talk.

"I bid you good day, and welcome to the Palace, my Lord and Lady deGrindemark. It is an honor to have you here. My Gala commences tonight, at the hour of nine and the minute of thirty, at a formal dinner in the Banquet Hall, and the King's Ball soon after. We hope you can join us." The King spoke quickly, rushing words together and ruining the effect that such an impressive speech was supposed to have. His voice was slightly impatient, and as soon as he had finished the last sentence of his discourse, he said, "My dear Edward! I must say that I didn't expect you to join us this year, what with last year's pie fiasco. Do you remember?"

It was clear from the look on Edward's face that he did, but the King didn't leave him any time to answer. Nor did he take the time to inform the other people in the room what the "pie fiasco" was. Instead, he continued to talk at Edward for the next few minutes. He persisted in asking questions about apparent mutual friends and then leaving no time for Edward to answer them. The two Tortallans were blown away by his informal manner.

Finally, the torrential flow of words stopped, and the King turned to Kel and Neal. "Ahh, Edward," he said affectionately. "What disillusioned youths have you picked up this time?"

****

A little note: I'm not quite sure what disillusioned youths are, or if Kel and Neal are even close to being them, but I like the ring of the words, and I've always wanted to use the phrase in a story. So I did. And if it doesn't make sense, I'm sorry, but I like it that way. Read on!

Edward bowed. "Please meet Lord Gabriel and the Lady Madylene, from Carthak."

Neal bowed, and Kel tried to curtesy, but she lost her balance, wobbled, and almost fell over. Thinking rapidly, she smiled ruefully and spoke.

"You must excuse me. I'm still a little unbalanced from the ride here."

"Not a problem, not a problem," said the King. "I'm delighted to have you here in time for my Gala — You must be there tomorrow, I won't take no for an answer!"

"We'll all be there, my liege," said Edward. Kel and Neal nodded emphatic agreement.

"Very well, _very_ well! I won't keep you and longer — Edward, I know you have a lot of catching up to do, and I'm sure more people are here for me to greet. Promise you'll come speak to me at the Gala — it gets mind-numbingly _boooor_ing after a while."

Edward acquiesced, and they were ushered from the Throne Room. There were three couples waiting. The doorman nodded at them as they passed, and could be heard saying, "Go on in, milord," to the next in line.

"To the rooms, please," Edward said to the guard, an he nodded and led them off down a corridor. "What did you think?" he asked Kel and Neal.

"It was very . . . " Kel trailed off.

"Purple," supplied Neal.

"Yes, that does seem to be the major impression most people get of the Throne Room. There's good reason for it, though: purple is the royal color, and the King wants it known that he is most definitely royal. Purple dye is also expensive, since it has to be imported, and that means that everyone knows the King is wealthy."

"I see —" began Neal, but he was cut off as Edward continued.

"Also, amethyst is the stone of the Copper Isles, and as you should know, amethyst is purple as well. And, as it turns out, the King adores amethyst, even more than other more precious stones. Yet another reason why purple is so popular inside _this _palace. Actually, the King is so fond of amethyst that he used three tons of it to create the walls of his treasury. And it was only three inches thick! Imagine such a large room. Of course, there is more reason than that to use amethyst as a lining for something as important as the King's treasury. I'm sure you've been told before that it's impossible to spell anything covered by amethyst – one of those properties that no one quite knows why it's there. The King is just a little paranoid with his money, even if he doesn't look it. The treasury is underground anyway, I don't know why he'd take all that precaution – nowhere for a thief to spell the wealth to! He'd just end up in the middle of the Palace, even if he did manage to get it past the walls of the treasury. But there's the King for you, planning for the worst. Ahh, here we are. Thank you! I believe your rooms are on the left – Helena and I will take the ones across the hall. We'll come by to at about nine for the banquet, how does that sound? Good. Have a nice rest!" The door slammed behind Edward and Helena as they entered their rooms.

Kel blinked. Neal rubbed his ears.

"A bit of a talker, that one," said the guard. "I'll be off now. Have a nice night." He walked away and turned a corner, leaving Kel and Neal alone.

"I have _no idea_ how that man can talk so fast and walk so fast without passing out," said Neal.

"If you can do it, he should be able to," retorted Kel. She opened the door to their rooms and they stepped inside.

The rooms were about the same size as the ones they resided in at deGrindemark Manor. Their saddlebags had been unpacked, and the contents placed on their bed. Kel looked at her one remaining clean dress. It was pink.

"There is _no way_ I am wearing that thing tonight," she began.

"No need," interrupted Neal smugly. "Helena asked for your measurements yesterday afternoon. She was obviously concerned with the state of your wardrobe after bushwhacking, so I gave them to her. She said that her seamstress was going to work nonstop to make something suitable. I assume _this_ is the final product." On _this_, he gestured to a dressmaker's stand, upon which was a green . . . _creation_.

Kel gasped, horrified. "I can't wear _that_!" she wailed. "It's . . . it's . . ."

"Stylish?" suggested Neal.

"No! It's –"

"Pretty?"

"NO! Shut up! It's awful! I can't wear something like that!"

"If you don't, you'll have to wear the pink one."

Silence.

"The pink one is . . . well, _pink,_" reminded Neal.

Silence.

***

"Kel! They're here!" shouted Neal from the outside room. "You have to come out now!"

"No," Kel protested, but her heart wasn't in it.

"Open. The. Door." Neal's voice was low. "If you don't, they'll think something's wrong. And what could be wrong when all you're doing is _getting dressed?_"

"Fine!" Kel flung open the door and stalked out into the main chambers without looking at Neal. "Let's go. I just want to get this thing over with."

"Whoa." Neal's voice from behind her brought her to a dead standstill.

"'Whoa,'" she angrily mimicked, spinning around. "What does _that_ mean?"

"It means . . . I like that dress is what it means," Neal said, looking impressed.

Kel looked down. She was wearing a creation made out of green satin that rustled when she moved. It was tight around the bodice, floating out to a full, floor-length skirt all the way to the floor. The gown had a low-cut, square neckline that emphasized her chest, and it had long fitted sleeves that clung to her arms. There was a slit in the front that revealed a pale green skirt underneath. It laced up the back.

"Whoa," Neal said again.

Kel stuck her hands on her hips. "Are you done?"

Neal slid up to her and slipped an arm around her waist. "I _like_ this dress." He kissed her cheek. "Let's go."

Kel pushed open the door to find Edward and Helena standing outside, looking impatient.

"Ahh, there you are," said Edward. "We were just about to send in a search party!"

Helena looked approvingly at Kel. "I _knew_ that dress would look magnificent on you!"

"Your seamstress is marvelous," Kel said hesitantly.

"Shouldn't we be going somewhere?" Neal put in.

Edward jumped. "Of course! We'll be late!" They hurried down the long twisty corridors to the Banquet Hall.

For the second time in as many days, Kel and Neal forced their way through a formal meal. This time, there were over ten courses, and by the end Kel could barely force down another bite. Than there was wine, and an hour for talk. The Greater Court spent the whole time conversing about the war in Tortall. It was revealed that a dozen more fiefs were taken, and that the opposing forces were within fifty miles of Corus.

Kel wished she could block the talk from her ears. The Greater Court spoke at length about how evil the Tortallans were and how wonderful it was to see them fall. She felt like throwing up, but instead, she had to go to a ball!

The whole Greater Court migrated to the Ballroom at half past twelve midnight. Kel was asked to dance by three men, and she graciously accepted them despite her full stomach. After that, Neal interceded on all following dances, refusing to let anyone else dance with her. She was a little put out, but more flattered.

Kel and Neal escaped the ball at the first possible time they could – three in the morning. All around them, the crowd was going strong, fueled by victory and strong wine. They slipped away through a side door and promptly got lost. Neal had to use his Gift to help them find their way back to their rooms.

It took Kel a full ten minutes to fight her way out of her dress. Picking it up and setting it on the dressmaker's dummy took another five. By that time, she was yawning non stop. Finally, she fell into bed, where Neal's breathing beside her lulled her into a peaceful slumber.

****

Do they have clocks?

AHH. AHH. HOW. People already have LADY KNIGHT. AHHHH. AHHH. HOW. I am going to implode. Can't wait six days. Can't. Can't. And yet, can't ask for spoilers. Can't. Can't. CAN'T. All right, here's the deal. NO ONE MENTION THE BOOK. Yes. no one mention it. that way, I won't be reminded that other people have it and I don't, and I won't go insane with anti-K/C anxiety. (please, god, no. please, please, please. ahh. Mustn't think about that possibility. Mustn't. mustn't. okay, now I have to go read my OWN K/N STORIES to fend off this debilitating fear. 

Ahh. Much better. NOOO! NO K/C!!! damn.) and if all of you other people don't mention the book, I won't go insane because OTHER PEOPLE HAVE IT AND I DON'T. urgh. Too much stress. I'm must go make cookies.


	26. Confusion And A Very Purple Dead End

****

Okay. You know those cookies I mentioned at the end of the last chapter? Something is seriously wrong with them. I'm depressed. I don't have Lady Knight and I can't bake cookies. What is wrong with me?

To stave off my lousy cookie anxiety, I wrote another chapter, so read on! And it's really long and cool, so I think you will all enjoy it! It explains things that needed explaining.

Confusion And A Very Purple Dead End

Kel sat at a table in her rooms, yawning over a breakfast pastry and a cup of orange juice. Neal was sitting next to her, absently stirring the milk in his cereal bowl.

"Well, I had fun last night," Neal finally said. "Didn't you?"

Kel rolled her eyes. "Neal. I'm really not in the mood."

"Overall, I think it could have been better — I mean, didn't _you_ think the ball was overlong? — but as it was—"

"Neal! Have you forgotten why we're here? Not for balls, or for banquets! Did you even _hear_ the King's announcement last night? We came her to try and find the Fifth, and we aren't any closer to finding it than we were when we got here! We _have_ to find it!" Kel buried her face in her palms and rubbed her eyes, sighing heavily.

"All right, all _right_! Calm down. The King's Gala starts at two o'clock today, and we can't skip it because that would be way too conspicuous. But assuming that we have to go to the Gala, we have until one o'clock to ourselves, because at one, we have to start getting ready. So . . . it's seven o'clock now — that's . . . um . . . six hours. We'll come up with _something_ in six hours, we have to!" Neal sat back, done with his tirade. They sat together in silence for a few minutes.

Suddenly Kel jumped and leaned forward. "Oh, Mithros! Where's Byrn?!"

Neal looked stricken. "I . . . don't know. I haven't seen her since two days ago!"

"Oh, gods. Oh, gods," Kel moaned. "We lost her!"

"Wait – Just wait a second, Kel." Neal held up a finger. "It's not like she was ours to lose."

"That doesn't matter! She was here, with us, and now she's not! She's gone!"

"Yes, but – I don't think she's lost."

"What are you _talking _about? Explain. Now." Kel crossed her arms over her chest.

"Okay. Remember how we came across her? She just . . . appeared in the woods, right?" Kel nodded. "_We_ had nothing to do with it. We didn't find her, or save her, or anything that impacted how she appeared to us. In fact, she just came down and landed, remember?" Kel nodded, slower this time as she saw where he was going.

"Well, who are we to think that we had any control over her at all?" Neal continued. "She's an _immortal_, Kel, with her own will and a smarter mind than we even know. _I_ think that she left us of her free will as well. The last time we saw her was right before we met Edward and Helena. It's like she _deliberately_ left us because she knew it'd be too hard to hide her. And I think that she'll find us again – when the time is right." Neal took a deep breath after talking so much.

"I _guess _that makes sense," Kel said reluctantly.

"It does," said Neal, with more conviction than he felt. "Now, what's the clue for the Fifth?"

Kel recited: "_Protected by crashing white, blue and purple, underneath thy feet upon crazed shore._ So . . . we know that 'crazed shore' is the Copper Isles, and we're here, so at least that part is done with. Hopefully, 'crashing white and blue' points to the coast, because that's the only logical thing _I_ can think of. And obviously, 'underneath thy feet' means under the ground. But that still leaves the purple part."

"I'm guessing that's the key to the whole thing," said Neal, frowning as he thought.

"It would seem to be that way, wouldn't it?" said Kel sarcastically.

"No need to get in a tizzy at _me_, _Lady Knight_," Neal said bad-temperedly. "I'm trying to work things out, just as you are." They sat in silence again.

"I'd guess our first task is to find something purple," Neal finally said.

"_That_ shouldn't be hard, what with how much this King likes it," Kel retorted.

Neal's eyes lit up. "Kel, that's _it!_ It's _here!_ In the Palace, because the Palace is on the shore – remember, we saw it yesterday when we came in – and we're in the Copper Isles, and there's purple everywhere! Especially in –"

"The Throne Room!" Kel finished excitedly. "It _has_ to be in the Throne Room!"

"But we were in there yesterday," Neal said, suddenly sober. "And there was nothing suspicious."

"Do you really think they'll leave it out for everyone to see? There's probably a hidden door, or something, I don't know. But it has to be there. The Throne Room is all purple. Okay. Here's what we'll do to get in . . . "

*** 

Kel peered around the corner. The corridor was empty. She motioned to Neal, and they both quickly walked into the deserted hall.

Suddenly, Kel slowed down. "Neal, this doesn't look at _all_ familiar. Did you take a wrong turn _again?!_" she whispered furiously.

Neal furrowed his brow. "No, I'm almost positive . . . " He trailed off as he strode down the hall to the next corner. He whipped around, triumphant. "See? The Throne Room is right there! I knew I was right! And there's no one in the hall, either."

"Good boy," said Kel, walking past him and patting him on the head.

"You'll pay someday," Neal muttered.

"And of _course_ no one's in the hall. They're all at the ball," Kel told him.

"Hey, that rhymed," said Neal.

She rolled her eyes. "Neal. _Focus_."

"Right. Focus."

"Okay." Kel halted in front of the Throne Room door. "Now we need to figure out how to open the door."

"Maybe there's a password," Neal suggested.

"OPEN," Kel said forcefully. Nothing happened.

"I COMMAND YOU TO OPEN," said Neal. Nothing happened.

"PLEASE LET US IN," said Kel. "PLEASE," she added. Nothing happened. They paused.

"Hey," said Neal. "Did you try —" He reached out and grabbed the handle. It turned easily in his palm, swinging forward noiselessly to let them into the incredibly purple Throne Room. Neal floated past Kel, a smug look on his face. She ignored him.

"All right." Kel turned around after shutting the door, her hands on her hips. "Search the whole room. Look at all the cracks and behind all the tapestries — everywhere. I'll take the left side, you take the right side."

They spread to their respective sides. Silence reigned in the deserted violet room. Both moved slowly down towards the thrones, neither finding anything worth exploring further. They met behind the thrones after five minutes.

"This _would _be the most logical place to hide something," Kel mused. "Right behind the thrones, the least accessible place in the room."

Neal nodded in agreement. He turned to face the wall. An enormous tapestry, woven in shades of violet, covered the entire back wall. They both leaned down and pulled up the bottom of the tapestry, holding it over their heads. Both knights slipped under the tapestry, and then let it fall.

The tapestry was surprisingly heavy, and when they let it go it slammed the two of them into the wall with considerable force. It also released clouds of dust after hitting the wall. Kel and Neal coughed frantically, trying to get their breaths back after the wind had been knocked out of them.

Once they had recovered, they both began to slide their hands along the cool stone, trying to find something, _anything_, that would indicate a hidden room.

After a few minutes, Kel heard Neal mutter, "Kel? I think I found something." Kel slid along until she was next to him. The side of her hand hit his, and she felt with her fingers until she felt what he had noticed.

"It feels like a corner, don't you think?" he asked her.

She nodded, then said "Yes," when she realized he couldn't see her movement. She felt a crack running vertically that took a 90 degree angle about a foot above her head. It continued off to the right, on the other side of Neal.

"Here, see if you can find the other end," Kel told him.

Neal sidled off to the right. A few seconds later, he said, "I found the other corner." His voice sounded about three feet away. "So it's definitely a door."

"Yeah," Kel agreed. "Now we just have to figure out how to open it."

"Let's try the obvious _first_ this time, what do you say?" Neal drawled. "Push on three. One . . . two . . . _three_." They both pushed against the rectangular cutout outlined by the cracks. Soundlessly, the block of stone slid inwards and off to the left, leaving a gaping hole in the wall. Wordlessly, the two knights slipped into the doorway, Kel drawing the dagger from her waist as she moved. Beside her, Neal drew his blade.

As soon as they passed through the doorway, lightglobes flared into life, hurting their eyes after the darkness of the other side of the tapestry. The light they provided revealed a plain room, with only a bed in one corner and a small table in the middle of the room. The table had some candles on it.

Kel and Neal stared.

"Okay, well . . . you take the left, I'll take the right," said Kel finally.

It took them scant minutes to search the room from top to bottom. They found absolutely nothing worth investigating, not even flaws in the stone.

"Well, if this isn't a saferoom, what in the Black God's Realm is it?" Neal asked.

Kel opened her mouth to answer, but then froze. She could her voices in the Throne Room! People were in it! She looked frantically at Neal. Simultaneously, they ran to the rectangular slab that served as a door and pushed it. It slid back into place. The lights went out. Sounds from the Throne Room cut out.

A minute passed. Kel had just begin to let out her breath in a sigh of relief when she saw movement in the gloom where the door was. They were coming into the hidden room! As fast as a thought, Kel reached out for Neal's arm, but instead she hit him right in the stomach, driving the air from his lungs in a rush of sound. She located his arm and grabbed it, then dragged him under the bed — the only decent hiding place in the entire room. The lights turned on in seconds after they were fully under the bed.

She saw two pairs of legs enter the room. One pair was dressed in expensive dress hose, and the other in shabby brown fabric. Dress Pair turned around and pushed the door back into place.

"Did you hear something?" said a man's voice. Kel stiffened. She had heard that voice recently.

"Nothing," said another voice, dismissing the first man's observation without thinking. It was raspy, too low. "Why do we meet in this deserted room?"

"It's the only room that's soundproof. And no one knows it's here."

"Except the whores you bring and bed." Kel's eyes widened in shock and disgust. So _that _was what the room was for. And she had almost placed the voice she knew . . . 

She looked over at Neal and almost gasped. He was still trying to get his wind back, and he looked like he was about to choke in the dust under the bed. Then as she watched, Neal cleared his throat in a small noise.

"There! Did you hear that?" The first man's voice was immediate.

"Nothing!" The raspy voice was losing patience. "You're too jumpy, Marcel!"

The first voice gave a heavy sigh. "Perhaps you're right. I've had a lot on my mind lately, with the Gala and all."

"You spend more time with the 'Gala' than need be, Marcel. Your sights should be oriented on the war, not some petty soiree."

"But I _like_ my Gala . . ." whined the man.

Kel's eyes widened. It was the King! She glanced at Neal and saw that he had came to the same conclusion she had. Kel turned her attention back to the conversation the King was having.

"—and you will be greatly rewarded." The raspy voice was talking.

"I don't see why—"

"Fool!" The voice grew in timbre and forcefulness. "You don't need to _see_! You must _do_! If you do not do as we command, your punishment will be eternal! We _need_ the pesky Tortallans and their thrice-blasted Champion" — he practically spat out the title — "_gone_ from their realms! We are almost there! If you back out now, your soul will float in the Midway forever! Do you understand?"

"Y—Yes," stuttered the King, plainly scared out of his wits.

The raspy man continued, almost screaming. "When you and the three others conquer those contemptible mortals, Uusoae, Ruler of Chaos, will reward! If you fail, I, Ichaeruut, Lord of Confusion, will create a punishment that will exceed your darkest nightmares!"

The King had backed up against the wall opposite the Ichaeruut. He flattened himself as if he could melt through the walls.

"I take my leave of you. We will talk again once I consult with Uusoae. Be ready." Looking out from under the bed, Kel saw two pair of feet, and then, one. No smoke, sound, or spell. Ichaeruut was gone. 

****

Well! The plot thickens! And just for your information, Ichaeruut is pronounced "Ick-a-root." If that helps any, I'm glad. That was a fun chapter to write.

Actually, ya know what? I really don't care who Kel ends up with, as long as it's NOT CLEON. CLEON DRIVES ME OVER THE EDGE. *takes a deep breath* ooooookay. I'm all right. NOT CLEON. NOT CLEON. Ooooookay. But we all know it's either Neal or Cleon, right? Right. Or I guess Dom maybe, but I doubt it. NOT CLEON. ARGH. THAT WOULD MAKE ME INSANE. Just like the guy in Blue Crush. Has anyone else seen that movie? The guy in that movie was an asshole. He really bugged me. Okay. That was off the subject. I'm off to write the next chapter.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. OKAY. I'M REALLY PISSED. Some crazyass lunatic put the spoilers for Lady Knight IN THEIR AUTHOR'S NOTE WITHOUT A F***ING WARNING!!!!!!!!!!! (notice how even though I'm extremely pissed, this is still PG-13.) And after making myself wait so long, I find my self-resolve dead as a doornail JUST BECAUSE I wanted to read a story that turned out to suck anyway. Either way, I'M STILL INCREDIBLY INFURIATED. I HAD TWO DAYS TO GO. Argh. Have to stop now before I realize how futile this is. Bye now. I'll be posting again soon. Oh, and see the pretty light blue button? Press it and leave me a quickie review, s'il vous plait (sorry all francophones out there, but I don't know how to make a circonflex [ or however you spell it] on my computer.) thankee all!

Oh, and replies! I got sooooo many reviews that I feel compelled to write replies! Make me feel that way again and review some more!

Fan73goten: I was actually going to have Edward and Helena figure it out, but I decided on something different . . . read the next chapter to find out . . . well, when it's up, anyway.

KeladryLadyKnight: *sits up in chair indignantly* No-you-canNOT have my story! And I know I'm going so slowly that it seems like I've abandoned it, but I haven't! Really!

Larzdinn: Yeah, this is Sunday, and chapter 26. HAHA. HAHA. School starts on Monday? Where do you live? We still have a week and a half left. And I had fun writing about the green creation. And YAY FOR DRIVING! Except the first time I drove, in a parking lot, no less, I almost hit this kid in a green go-cart that was zipping around me.

Loony: I WAS! I CONFESS! I WAS TRYING TO THROW YOU OFF! And obviously, it worked! So AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA back to you! and you CAN'T answer my K/C anxiety! But the thing is, I want to know if the spoilers the person posted were true, but I don't want to know. So I guess I'm stuck until Tuesday. Which is TWO DAYS AWAY. The closer I get the harder it gets.

Lady Fire Eyes: okay, so you don't get it for a month. But you live in england, which compensates for that. And I hoped you liked the chapter!

Pen Pen: HAHAHAHA. Cling-on of Kinkyland. I LOVE IT. never heard it before. And I was going to kill him off, but then decided that major decisions, i.e. killing, marriage, are best left to the Master of Tortall herself, Tamora Pierce. I just take her characters and screw around with them in their present states. Especially Neal. *Neal raises chained hands in demonstration* And I can't believe you think my story would be good enough to replace Topic That Must Not Be Mentioned! (TTMNBM, from now on) That's highest praise. And job applications are definitely yuck.

Keita: yes. Yes you would be the early-book-getter making me feel like imploding. Be happy for yourself!

Clarylissa: I like Neal being irritated by bushes, too. That's why I wrote it! Neal didn't like it, though . . . *Neal pulls sleeve up to show scratches on arm* Don't worry. He'll be okay.

Felix da Feline: yes, ff.net stories are awesome when you have nothing to read. But, if you're anything like me, you have SUMMER READING! *winces* I really do need to read those books . . . oh well. and we have TWO DAYS LEFT. 

Songbreeze the Omnipresent: what does "Well. Well. Hole in the ground. Bucket," mean? I'm very confused. And mmmmmmmmm. Seannnnnnnnn.


	27. Realizations and Explanations

****

A boring yet nessessary chapter, but the action part of the chapter was too long for my standards, so I broke one chapter into two. But know that the next chapter is already half written, so look back soon and often! But for know, try to enjoy this crucial-to-the-plot chappie!

Realizations and Explanations

The King stayed pressed against the wall for some minutes after Ichaeruut left. Finally, he let his breath out in a huff, and left the room through the door. The door closed after he left, and the lights went out.

Kel started to emerge from her hiding place, but Neal grabbed her arm. Wait, he mouthed. She nodded. A few seconds later, the King re-entered the room. Kel saw his feet move to the table and pause, as if he had forgotten something. The King muttered to himself and exited the room again. They stayed under the bed for several minutes before they judged it was safe to come out.

The two knights crawled out from their dusty refuge. Neal used his Gift to light the globes. Kel sat heavily on the bed, than jumped up again when she realized where she was sitting.

"Well," said Neal. "That conversation explained a lot."

"So Uusoae is luring all those countries to get rid –" she gulped, "to get rid of Tortall? But I thought Uusoae was imprisoned!"

"No, I know – I mean, I'm sure she still is. But just because she's imprisoned doesn't stop her from working through her minions. And what goes hand in hand with Chaos? Confusion, and that's who she has working on the four countries – which is bad, because that means that this is one of her major priorities."

"But why would she need Alanna gone?"

"Isn't it obvious? The Goddess has her hand on Alanna, and in order to weaken the Gods' hold on the Mortal Realms all the Chosen have to fall. Alanna isn't the only one, I'm sure, and once – _if_ Tortall falls, Uusoae will turn her current alliance against each other and get rid of all the others. I don't know _why_ the Gods haven't picked up on this _Ichaeruut_ and his involvement in this war, though . . ." Neal trailed off, lost in thought.

"Mortals fight all the time. Why should they have any cause to think this any different from normal?" Kel asked.

"Exactly," said Neal. "And that's our problem."

"Yeah, but you're forgetting a bigger problem."

"Being . . ."

"We still haven't found the Fifth."

***

Luckily, no one was in the hall when Kel poked her head out of the Throne Room door. She motioned to Neal, and they dashed out into the hall. If anyone spotted them, they were just two people who got lost on the way back from the washrooms.

Neal joined the banquet, and after she returned to her room and changed into yet _another_ of the dresses Helena had ordered, Kel met him in the banquet hall. No one had noticed their absence. Of course, even if someone had realized they were missing, most people were too busy dealing with monster hangovers to do anything about it.

This night, the banquet extended itself into the beginning of the next day. The darkness of night was fading into the grayness of twilight, and Kel and Neal found themselves alone on the balcony, overlooking the garden and dozens of couples with romantic notions hiding in the bushes.

"We know it has to be some place purple," said Kel suddenly and quietly, as if she was just continuing a conversation.

"I still think it's the Throne Room," said Neal stubbornly.

"Neal, we searched that place from top to bottom. There is nothing there, excepting that hidden room," Kel reminded him. She paused, and then smacked herself on the forehead. "And the Throne Room couldn't be the right place anyway! The poem says that the Fifth is under our feet, and the Throne Room is very much above ground."

"So . . . we're right back where we started. Somewhere covered in purple and under the ground." Neal groaned. "We're getting _nowhere_."

But something he had just said jarred Kel's memory. A disembodied voice floated up through the depths of her mind, pushing its way to the foreground.

"The Treasury!" she cried, and then clapped a hand over her mouth as a reprimand for speaking too loudly. But she was unable to keep it there, and words bubbled out of her mouth, sometimes so rapidly that she tripped over them.

"The Fifth is in the Treasury! Remember what Edward was talking about? How the King lined his Treasury with amethyst for the guarding properties, and how it was underground and in the middle of the Palace? It _has_ to be the Treasury! I'll bet that the Fifth was just handed down as an heirloom, just lying in the Treasury somewhere, and the King never knowing anything about it! But that _has_ to be where it is!"

Neal was nodding his head excitedly. "You've got it, Kel! All the clues make sense."

"Now all we have to do is figure out how to get to the Treasury." They fell into silence for a few scant minutes, until Neal shrugged.

"Who needs to know where a thing is? We'll just wander around during tomorrow's banquet. If anyone asks what we're doing . . ." he adopted a confused look, "I'm sorry, sir, but milady here is feeling ill, and we can't find the way back to our rooms. Could you help us?" He shrugged again. "No one will think anything is out of place. But for now . . ."

"Let's get back to our rooms," Kel interrupted him. "I'm tired, and I'll feel better when I'm out of this dress."

"Ahh, yes, our Lady Knight's aversion to dresses is foremost on her mind." Neal bowed. "If you would accompany me inside, Lady Madylene?"

"With pleasure, Lord Gabriel." She placed her arm on his and they glided back inside.

Once they were gone, two figures emerged from the shadows on their right. Edward and Helena looked more than a little shocked.

****

OOOOOH, cliffie! Oh well, couldn't help it! but, as I said, the next chapter is almost done, so be happy! Oh, and please review! I write faster when I get more reviews. Thanks! And if you have the time, please go check out my other stories!


	28. An Unexpected Ally

****

Yay! Yay for this chapter! Yay for Lady Knight! Yay for Tamora Pierce! Yay for everyone!

Hoooooooooooo boy. I think I had too much of my sister's birthday cake.

Well, yes, I got Lady Knight, and now I'm going to rant, so if you don't have it yet, skip to the story!

AUGH! How could Tammy leave it like that?!?!?!?!?!?! It was awful!! It was like a cliffhanger at the end of the BOOK! Augh! And NO ROMANCE! I was extremely disappointed, especially since NEAL CALLED HER LOVE. That was really cute. but he's getting married (dammit), so I guess it doesn't count. So now . . . I'm a Kel/Dom fan! Yay for Dom! And I didn't like the refugee thing at first, but about the third time through I started liking it more and now it's migrated to awesome. So I'm okay with the plot. BUT STILL! NO ROMANCE! And I was a little surprised that Kel and Cleon broke up like that. It seemed *snickers* like my story. That was more than a little strange. Hmmmmm . . . do you think there'll be _another_ Tortall series? *keels over at thought of another Tortall series, than revives* and Dom and Kel will hook up in it? *keels over again* Okay, enough of my incessant chatter. Read the chapter!

Good lord. The twenty-eighth chapter. I really must try to wrap this up.

An Unexpected Ally

The two Tortallan knights spent slightly less than half an hour on the dance floor before they could make an inconspicuous exit. Once they were in the deserted halls, Kel and Neal hurried to their rooms, anxious to make plans for the next night.

They reached the narrow hallway where their rooms were located. Neal had just opened his mouth to speak the password that would open the door when they heard, "Why hello!"

Turning around, they saw Edward striding down the hall.

"Hello, Lord Edward," Kel said with a smile. Neal inclined his head.

"What a night, eh?" Edward said, yawning. "I'm afraid I must retire. Good night, Kel, Neal." He opened the door to his rooms and went inside. Shrugging, Neal opened their door, and the two of them entered.

Kel and Neal were two steps inside their rooms when the same thought occurred to them. Kel whirled to look at Neal. "Did he–" she started, then broke off her question as they both sprinted across the hall to Edward's door. Kel knocked on it frantically.

Edward opened it immediately. "I thought you might be wanting to have a chat," he said, face expressionless. He waved them into his rooms.

Once inside, Edward slammed the door and turned the key. He turned to face the two of them.

"You are in deep, deep trouble," he told them flatly. All traces of his former, bubbly self evaporated. Kel shot a panicked look at Neal. "Did you ever stop to _check_ for other people around when you were talking so secretly on the balcony? No-you-did-not. And now Helena knows. And she has gone straight to the top. She's telling the King, possibly as we speak."

"Wha–Wha–" Kel stammered, gasping. She was having trouble finding her voice.

"Oh, we know all right. So would anyone else within a fifteen foot range of where you were standing, but luckily _for you_, we were the only ones. And now, you've blown it. And you don't have much time to find whatever it is you're looking for. So go get ready, because I'm going to lead you to the Treasury in three minutes. And you better hope that what you're looking for is there, because as sure as the Black God kills, you won't be getting a chance to look anywhere else."

"But–But why?" Neal managed to gasp out. He looked as thunderstruck as Kel felt.

"Why am I helping you? Hmm." The man pursed his lips. "I know what my country's doing, and I don't like it. You two seem like you're trying to do something about it, and for that I thank you. But enough! Go! If you really are a knight, milady, I doubt you'll be wanting to wear _that _beauty of a dress when you try to escape from the King's men!"

Kel jumped, looked down at her puffy light blue dress, and sprinted back across the hall again, followed closely by Neal. Kel tore off her dress, wincing as the delicate buttons ripped out. She opened one of her saddlebags, pulling out a plain tunic. She grabbed her sword, two daggers, and her longbow, piling everything on since there was no way they were going to be able to take the saddlebags. Across the room, Neal did the same thing.

Kel looked longingly at the green creation, sitting untouched on the dressmaker's dummy. Neal caught her looking and said, "Don't worry. I'll act like I did last night whether or not you're wearing a pretty dress."

She laughed and walked quickly out the door. Edward was already in the hall. It took Neal less than a minute to exit their rooms, and when he did he looked regretfully back into the rooms. "I _liked_ that place," he said.

Edward started off down the hall, but paused before going more than three steps. "Hmm," he said. "It might be a help if–"

Kel cut him off. "Edward, we don't have the time. What do you want?"

"Shield me," Edward said flatly. "You don't have to worry about consequences; at least not in this country. But I have to stay, and I don't want to be executed as a traitor. So shield me."

Neal held out his hand, palm open. Green fire streamed from his fingers, settling as a cloak around Edward. Neal snapped, and the fire flared and disappeared.

"You're invisible to everyone but us," Neal told the man. "Now, lead."

Edward took off at a run, leading them through the halls. Their cover was blown; the two knights didn't pause when they saw others heading down the hall. Instead, they just ran through the middle of the crowds, knowing that it was only a matter of time until the King caught up with them. Heads spun, following Lord Gabriel and his Lady as they sprinted down the passage in commoner clothes.

The lord of deGrindemark led them out a door, than into another door, through a passage – Kel lost track of the turns they made. _Gods,_ she thought. _This King really hides things well!_

Three minutes later, Edward halted in front of what looked like a cellar door. "Here," he said, panting. "This is the door. Guarded by magic and locks, but I suppose that's no problem for you, right?"

Neal smiled smugly. "Not a problem at all." Standing in front of the door, he closed his eyes. He gave an impressed whistle. "This King has some major paranoia problems. This is one extravagant spell." He stopped talking.

A white flare blasted through the room. Kel and Edward, with no magic to speak of, only caught the physical effects of the spell breaking; the flash on their eyes took more than a few seconds to go away. Once she could see clearly, the first thing she noticed was Neal lying sprawled on the ground.

Kel ran to him and fell on her knees. Reaching into her belt pouch, she lifted out a small vial. She removed the stopper and held it under Neal's nose. Coughing and choking, Neal revived. Smiling, Kel put the vial back in her pouch and stood up again.

Neal held out his hands, and she grabbed them and pulled him up. He reached into his own belt pouch, he lifted out a lock pick. It was the work of seconds to flip the tumblers and open the Treasury door. It swung downwards, revealing a marble staircase.

Edward took a step back. "I'm afraid this is where I'll leave you two. If I go any farther I may be caught in the act, and that would be . . . bad. To say the least."

Kel and Neal nodded, but their attention was on the staircase.

"Um . . . " Edward said hesitantly. "The spell?"

Neal jumped. He waved his hand. "It will dissolve as soon as you enter your rooms."

Edward bowed. "Then I take my leave of you both. It's been a pleasure to know you. The quickest way out is two left turns that way." He pointed to the door they had come from, then bowed once more and took the same way out.

****

All right, here's the deal. I'm posting this short boring chapter because that way the action is all in one chapter and it turns out for a better read. Sorry for the inconvenience. Well, next chapter up soon! And while it may not be exciting, something happens. And the story's almost over! *bawls* but then I can focus on my thief one. Yay for thieves! Anyway . . . new chapter coming soon!


	29. The Trap

****

GAH! School started! GAH! I strongly dislike school. Entirely too much work involved. Oh, and I'm writing this instead of doing my math homework, so you better appreciate it! *growls menacingly* and yes, yes, no need to tell me that the first part is a bad mish-mash of Indiana Jones, I already know, but I couldn't think of anything. Well, read on!

Ahh! Ahh! My keyboard just fell off the desk! Someone help! Ahh!

God, I'm a spaz.

****

The Trap

Kel and Neal were left alone, staring into the Treasury entrance. Kel glanced at Neal and caught him looking at her. Simultaneously, they shrugged, and started down the steps.

Automatically, Kel began counting the stairs. At 50 steps, there was no sign of the end, and it got a lot darker. Neal decided against using his Gift as a light, since he might need to be at full power for their escape. At 200 steps, the air was decidedly cooler. Both Neal and Kel shivered. At 400, there was still no sign of any door. At least, until Kel ran into one.

"Oof," said Kel.

"Good job! You found the door," Neal said, grinning. He walked to the lock and blasted the guard spell, scoffing at the easiness of the spell. Then, he picked the lock, and the door swung inward to reveal the Treasury interior. Removing his pick from the lock, Neal strolled into the open door, followed closely by Kel.

As soon as they stepped inside the door, three things happened at once: the lights turned on, the door slammed shut, and a voice started talking.

The light from the light-globes reflected off gilded walls that faded into a gold sheen in the distance; the room was too big to see the other side. It was filled with wealth: tens of thousands of gold pieces piled in heaps, gems of all colors, statues made from precious materials, and other unnameable items that glittered and gleamed with brilliance.

Of course, they noticed this in a fraction of a second, because the voice had began to speak.

"Congratulations," the voice said. "You have successfully made it into my Treasury. Now I have just one request: When you get to the Black God, tell him I said 'Hi.'" With that, the sound of well-oiled gears filled the Treasury.

Horrified, Kel and Neal looked around. Nothing in the Treasury was moving. The gear sound didn't stop. On a whim, Kel looked up, and bit her tongue to keep from screaming. Long iron skewers had begun to descend from the gilded ceiling, twelve feet above their heads.

"Do something!" Kel shrieked, her instincts getting the better of her.

"What's there to do?" Neal sounded frantic.

Kel looked up again. The spikes were six inches closer – only five and a half feet above her head. Her head spun, but in one small, calm, detached part of her brain, a comment slowly pushed its way to the front of her mind.

__

There has to be a catch.

The spikes must lower every time someone came into the Treasury, since there was no way for the walls to know who had entered. Being where the door was located, the catch had to be within running distance, or else the right person wouldn't be able to get to the catch before the spikes impaled them.

Kel whirled from side to side, searching for anything that would make sense. Neal was frozen, staring at the murderous lances that lowered relentlessly. Terrified, Kel looked up again. The skewers were only two feet away, and were they getting faster?

Tears sparkled in her eyes as she spun around. The sound of the gears echoed in her ears, and she wondered, panicked, if it would be the last thing she ever heard.

As she made her revolutions, Kel's eye caught on a statue. Unlike the others in the Treasury, it wasn't gleaming. It was carved out of ebony, and stood rather apart from everything else, looking forlorn and menacing at the same time.

Everything clicked in her mind. Kel bent over and raced to the statue, glancing at the spikes. They were only a foot away. Neal lay huddled on the ground, silently watching them. She prayed to the Goddess to slow their descent. The statue was growing closer, but the skewers were catching up to her back.

A point ripped through her tunic and left a dangerously deep jagged gash on the left side of her back. It began streaming blood, which trickled down her side and soaked into her tunic before it dropped onto the floor. Kel gritted her teeth against the pain and fell to the ground, crawling to the statue.

She reached the statue's feet. As she had known it would be, it was a statue of the Dark God. "Hi!" she shouted, numb with dread as she pressed herself to the ground, slipping in the blood from her wound.

Nothing happened. The spikes didn't slow down. She felt them press sharply into her back.

"I say 'Hi!'" she wailed, shutting her eyes and anticipating the pain.

The lethal points froze, just before puncturing her skin. The room was empty of sound. Suddenly, the gears started up again, and once more Kel readied herself, but instead she felt the lances withdrawing from her skin. She flipped over and looked up.

The points were receding into the ceiling, being covered by the gild paint. Behind her, she heard the sound of an opening door.

Forgetting her injury, Kel jumped up and thanked all the gods she could think of. Her next thoughts were of Neal. She looked to him from across the room. He was white, deathly white. He wasn't moving.

She ran to him as tears of fear clouded her eyes, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. As she drew closer, she saw that his eyes stared blankly into empty space.

Upon reaching him, Kel fell to her knees and grabbed his shoulders, screaming his name and shaking him as her tears fell onto his shirt. For one terrible moment, he didn't respond.

But then, he raised his arms, and the blank look in his eyes faded into the Neal she knew. He pushed himself upwards. His face was still deathly white, but now she realized it was from fear.

Neal wrapped his arms around her, and they were wonderfully tight. She sobbed, and gasped out, "I thought— I thought—"

"Shhh," Neal calmed her, his lips against her hair. Kel buried her face in his chest and breathed in the scent of him, calming her down breathing. She raised her face to his and they kissed frantically. But Neal's arms moved across her back, and she cried out against his mouth. He pulled away.

"You— You're bleeding! You—"

She heard no more. White dots filled her vision, and she fell into a world of emptiness. 

Kel wasn't able to relax in the emptiness. Green fire streamed into her head, pushing back the whiteness and the nothingness and drawing her back into the world of the living.

Kel opened her eyes. She was staring at a gilded ceiling. It took her a few seconds for her to remember where she was, and when she did, she turned and looked for Neal. He was lying next to her, looking totally drained. She nudged his shoulder. He came alive instantly, blinking at her.

"Turn around," he ordered immediately. Kel did so, craning her neck so she could see her left side. It had been made less deep and was already scabbed over — a few days worth of healing in several minutes.

"What did you _do_?" Kel asked incredulously. "That amount of healing should _not_ have drained you. Are you okay?" she finished nervously.

"You forget," Neal said wearily, raising a finger to point at her. "There are shielding spells in the very stone. I had to raise them to heal you, which is why you're not completely healed — if I was unhindered, all you'd have left was a scar."

Kel sat silently for a minute, and when she spoke Neal could barely hear her. "When I ran over, I thought you were dead."

He paused before saying, "I know." Kel reached over and embraced him tightly, but he wouldn't let her just sit, which is what she wanted to do.

"I believe you've forgotten another thing." Kel looked at him blankly. "The reason we're in the Treasury in the first place?" When she still didn't respond, he made an exasperated noise and said, "The Fifth Stone?"

"Ah," said Kel. "You're right." They helped each other up, groaning. Kel felt her bones creak.

"Gods," said Neal, a bit of his humor returning. "We sound like an old couple." Kel laughed shakily.

"Let's find the Fifth and get out of here. We've already wasted at least fifteen minutes, and we don't know how much time we even have."

Neal nodded, then froze. "Um . . . how in all the Gods' Realms are we supposed to find it in all this wealth?"

"We'll just have to look for it. It looks like . . ." Kel reached into her belt pouch and pulled out the first Four, "this . . ." she trailed off.

"They— They're _glowing_," Neal faltered.

And they were. As Kel held the Four Stones, they shone with a clear steady light from their crystalline depths.

"That's _it_!" Kel said suddenly. "That's how we'll find the Fourth! They all probably glow when they're close to each other, so just look for something glowing . . . sort of," she finished lamely, looking at the brightly lit room. "Is there any way to turn off the light globes?"

"You might try the light button," Neal said smugly. He moved to the doorway and pressed a button in the wall. The lights went out. Far off in the distance, they saw a beacon of light matching the ones Kel held in her hands.

Neal's grin was reflected in the glow from the Stones. He walked towards the light, accompanied by Kel.

The Stone was a few minutes walk into the room. It was buried in a pile of gems, and the Stone stuck out like a sore thumb with its gritty texture and unpolished surface.

"We never would have found this if we hadn't gotten the lucky break of finding out they _glow_," said Neal. He started. "Do you think they glow all the time?"

Kel picked up the Fifth and added it to the pile in her hand. Immediately, the lights were extinguished, and the only thing they could see was the light streaming in from the door. "I guess that answers _that_ question," she said, smiling. But the smile froze on her face.

It was just as well that the Stones went out, because the silhouettes of six men could easily be counted when they entered the room.

****

Oooh, cliffy! I know, I'm evil. but I figure it'll keep you reading. Anyway, I'm sort of tired, and in pain because I sprained my ankle. BUT. I wrote this for you. my faithful reviewers! *pats faithful reviewers on head* MOST SPECIFICALLY, those who have reviewed regularly, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND I LOVE YOU DEARLY.

And, if you don't find this conceited and you're not too busy, I would love you even more if you told other people to read my story . . . *grins like a madwoman* ahahaha! Do my bidding, knaves! *coughs* um . . . right.

One more thing. I really really would like to beta read, so please please ask me to! That is all. 


	30. A Botched Escape

****

Ack! I got so many threats (well, not really, but it makes me feel important if I say how I got threats) about my cliffy that I'm writing the next chapter at an advanced rate! Be proud of me! and it's the weekend! Yay! (Unfortunately no three-er for me, Edi – by the way, what in god's name does larzdinn mean?) Since it's the weekend, I'll try to get at least one more chapter up, and who knows – maybe if I get inspired I'll finish the damn thing.

And thanks to Keita for breaking down the ole writer's block. (haha, I told you I'd say that.)

Oh. My. God. mary-kate and ashley are sooooooo demented. My sister is watching them. And all of their shows suck. Except the england movie, because the american guy was hot.

Ooooh. I'm watching bounce now and it's really sad. Ooh. ben affleck is hot.

Maybe I should let you read the story. Ooh! ben affleck with no shirt on!

Yeah, definitely story time.

A Botched Escape

Kel and Neal froze, following the men's movements with their eyes. But then the last man moved into the darkness of the Treasury and vanished in the gloom.

The door slammed shut, leaving them in total darkness, and the terrifying sound of the gears started up. Kel grabbed Neal's arm in a sudden panic, her throat closing up. But a few seconds later, the gears stopped, proving that they were familiar with the Treasury. The door swung open again, but the six men were still lost in the darkness – the light from the doorway didn't penetrate very far.

"Six against two – that's three to one odds. Should we try and take them?" Neal's mouth was right against her ear, so quiet that if she was a foot farther away, she couldn't have heard him.

Kel moved her face to his ear to reply. "No. We'd get killed. We have to try and get out."

"How? For all we know, they've surrounded the doorway!"

"I don't know – I'm sure we'll think of someth–" Kel broke off.

"What's wrong?" Neal's voice was urgent at her ear.

"The Stones. They – They're humming!" A deep thrumming, originating from her belt purse, was slowly spreading throughout her bones. It made her teeth chatter in her head, and her eyeballs were vibrating in her skull.

"What?!" Neal's voice was incredulous. His eyes opened wide in shock. Wait – his eyes? How could she see him? Kel frowned, and looked around for the source of the light. She would have gasped if not for her training when she found out where it was coming from.

"Neal! The Stones! They've started glowing again!"

"What? We're going to get killed!"

To her horror, Kel heard a man's voice from in front of them. It seemed one of the men had heard them. And the Stones kept getting brighter. Their radiance shone through the tightly knit fabric of her belt purse, leaving a clear signal for the men to follow. They ran towards the light as fast as they could, making their way around piles of wealth.

Suddenly, the humming stopped, replaced by a throbbing against her waist. "Wha–?" Kel exclaimed. The Stones kept getting brighter, and as they acquired more light, the throbbing gained in speed. When before it had felt like a drum, it had sped up to the rhythm of a heartbeat, and kept getting faster. It kept getting faster, and faster, and faster . . . 

"Neal!" she cried, utterly terrified. "Close your eyes! Hunch over! Something's going to happen!" Neal obeyed instantly, and she followed her own advice, throwing herself to the floor.

Suddenly at her waist, she felt a burst of white hot pain, so hot that it burned through her overtunic. The light on the other side of her eyelids flashed white, so bright that it left spots dancing across her vision. Kel heard one agonized scream, than nothing more. And then there was no heat, and the light faded – all that was left was the sharp pain of a burned side.

Hesitantly, Kel opened her eyes. Less than three feet away, six columns of smoke raised from scorch marks on the floor. Kel gulped, rightly guessing that that was all that remained of their six pursuers. She nudged Neal, who opened his eyes and stared as openly as she did. They waited for a minute, forgetting their mission.

Neal jumped. "Kel! We have to get out of here! They've already sent six men – how many more do you think they'll send the next time?" Kel started, the movement sending pain through her side. She winced, and let Neal pull her to her feet after he stood up.

"You're hurt!" he exclaimed. "But I don't have time to heal you now – can you hold off?" Kel gritted her teeth and nodded. "Then we must fly!" he cried, and pulled her towards the door, tripping over piles of coins.

Just before they reached the door, three new men ran into the room. Kel and Neal dispatched the first before he was even aware of their presence. The next two took almost the same amount of time.

Kel and Neal ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Four more men met them halfway up.

Neal ran the first one through the chest, yanking his blade free as the man fell down the stairs. Kel cut a man's sword arm off, and he was out of the fight. Neal chopped deeply into the third man's side, and he fell down the stairs as well, although he was only injured. The fourth man huddled in terror against a wall. Kel disarmed his as they returned to their mad dash upwards. The sound of the blade clattering down the stairs followed them upwards.

Finally they reached the top. There was no one in sight.

"Edward said left, right?" Neal asked as they ran towards the doorway. Kel agreed with a small noise.

Neal pulled her towards the left. Kel ran behind him. Growing behind her, she heard the sound of running boots. Hazarding a glance backwards, she gulped. Seven men pursued them.

"Oy! You there! Stop!" one of the men called. Neal's only response was to run faster.

Ahead of them, the corridor dead-ended into a wall. Two passages led off: one left and one right. Upon reaching the branching, Neal pulled Kel down the right hand one.

"What are you doing?" she shreiked. "This is the wrong way!"

"What?" Neal skidded to a halt. "You agreed with me! You said it was left, right!"

"I was saying, yes, left is the right way to go!"

"Oh." He bit his lip. "In that case, we might be running into a little bit of trouble . . ."

The seven men ran into the corridor.

"Too late now!" Neal cried, and pulled her off down the hall.

After a few minutes, they came to a staircase.

"Up! Go up! Up is better than down!" Kel shouted. Neal nodded, and ran up the stairs.

The stairway was a spiral stairway – a tight and narrow spiral to boot. They didn't have room to go two at a time, but on the upside, only one man could come at them at a time.

"Up, up, up, up . . ." Neal panted, in time with each foot hitting the next stair.

"Save your breath!" Kel shouted.

"Save my breath, save my breath . . ." he adopted. Kel gave up.

A few minutes in the future, Kel's thighs were burning with the exertion of running up the stairs continuously. Sweat dripped into her burn wound, stinging like lemon juice. **(A/N: let's hope they have lemon juice.)** Her right calf was cramping; she had a side ache on each side of her ribcage. She couldn't keep this up much longer. Judging from the weezing sounds in front of her, Neal couldn't either.

The sound of the men had fallen behind, but it didn't matter – they knew that their prey was on a one way staircase, going up. Plus, the men had the benefit of knowing what was at the top of the stairs.

Thirty more stairs and they had reached the top, but it didn't help them very much. It was a single room, with a bed, a chair, a wardrobe, and a giant bay window.

"No way," Neal gasped. "No way."

"What do we do?" Kel moaned. They stood frozen. The sound of clattering weapons drifted up the staircase.

Neal ran to the bay window. He paused, then slowly turned around. "This window – it opens onto the ocean." He bit his lip and looked at her.

Kel shook her head vehemently. "No. I won't. I can't." The clattering was dangerously close.

"We'll die if we stay in this room," said Neal.

"Neal," she pleaded. "I can't. I just . . . I can't!" The first man jumped into the room with a triumphant look. Kel beheaded him.

Four more crowded into the room.

Neal ran to Kel, grabbed her arm, and pulled her out the window.

"I can't!" she wailed as she plummeted to the water, 100 feet down.

****

Hehe. Another cliffy.

Wow. I got out of breath just writing that. Adrenaline rush – yeah!

Cami! I miss you! you're never online any more!


	31. Old Friends Reunite

****

WAAAAAAAAAAA. I had SUCH a bad day! You want to know what happened? 1) my pants ripped within the first ten minutes of school, and I had to hold them together with duct tape the whole rest of the day. 2) I spilled stuff on my shirt all through the day, including but not limited to: pen, juice, lettuce, chocolate chip cookies, glue. 3) I got a C- on my algebra test. Review a whole lot and cheer me up!

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. My day just wasn't bad — my whole WEEK was bad!!!! I got smacked in the head during soccer practice, and on the leg, and it was so hard that it left a ball mark on my leg, and I just kept tripping over things, and I forgot my textbook and got marked down for it, and my friend whacked me on the head . . . boooooohoooooooo.

I'm sad! My story is almost over! My baby! What will I do when it's done? My life will be empty of purpose! *wails in sadness for five minutes* What? Story? *sniffles* oh, you want the story? *huffs* fine. Just forget the qualms (I love that word) of the author. Here's the story. *brightens up* It's quite good, if I do say so myself. And it's extremely long – longer, I think, than any of my previous chapters, and there's no author's note at the end because I didn't want to ruin the mood, or whatever. So don't forget to review! Your beloved author lives for reviews!

Old Friends Reunite

Kel and Neal plummeted toward the breakers.

"Dive!" Neal shouted. Luckily, he was in front of her, so the force of the air blew his words past her.

"What?" Kel shrieked, sick with fear.

"Tuck your head! Dive! Or you'll _die_!" Neal shouted back. He tucked his head to his chest and raised his arms in front of his head, immediately pulling ahead of her as they fell. He plunged into the ocean. Kel had just raised her arms when she hit the water.

The shock of the frigid temperature of the water went straight to her bones, making them ache. She plunged down in the icy seawater, ignoring the smarting of her wound as it was submerged in saltwater. She closed her eyes, and was tumbled over and over before she stopped turning, but she struggled in a panic. _Which was is up?_ she thought frenziedly.

Kel stopped moving. Her stomach was pulled upwards – that meant she was on her back, facing the surface of the water – and the air at the surface. She flailed, getting in the right position to swim. Finally, she got control of her limbs and shot to the surface.

She broke the surface and gasped, inhaling great gulps of air. Her teeth started chattering. "Neal!" she called, looking for him. "Neal!" she cried again, feeling the first traces of panic. She shoved them down, distracted for a minute. _What is it with me and panicking? _she thought furiously. _I've never done it before, and it seems to be all I've done today!_

Her train of thought was interrupted when Neal rose, gasping, to the surface, about twenty feet away from her. She swam over to him.

"L-Let's get out of t-the water," she chattered. Neal nodded. She turned to the right, where just the tips of some evergreen tips were visible. They both started to swim, moving frozen limbs in the heavy water.

They swam, but their strength was fading fast. Neal, already tired from holding off the spells in order to heal Kel, was swimming increasingly slowly. Kel was just dead tired, and her wound didn't help. While it wasn't bleeding, the pain dulled her senses as well as her mind.

Just as Kel was about to give up and let the sea claim her forever, she heard a piercing whistle. Startled, she looked around.

A red speck was hurtling towards the two Tortallans from the line of dry land. As the speck got closer, Kel saw that it was trailing flames.

Byrn halted above them and hovered. She trilled furiously. Kel and Neal were yanked out of the water and held dripping above it. With a last fierce cry, the two Tortallans were launched towards land, wind whistling in their ears.

In next to no time, they came to a jerking halt above what appeared to be a boat. Byrn trilled a high pitched noise, and they were dropped, from ten feet in the air, onto the deck.

"Ow!" Neal cried.

The immortal ignored him. She rose up in the air, making all kinds of noises with an obviously scolding tone to them. Byrn spread her wings and, without flapping them, rose higher, until she was fifteen feet off the ground. She gave one last decisive whistle and surged higher into the air. She floated serenely down, and the scolding was over.

"Sounds like my mother," said Kel with a grin.

Neal yawned. "I think . . . I think I'll . . ."

"Me too," she agreed. They curled up together, right on the deck, and fell immediately asleep. Byrn shook her head – a very human gesture – and cooed a note, calling a blanket of fire into life. The blanket settled over them, and she chirped to break the spell. Kel and Neal vanished. The immortal could still see them, but they were shielded, and she had made sure that the blanket contained actual warmth. 

***

"Urgh," Kel groaned, rolling over as she woke up. Rubbing her eyes, she realized that Neal wasn't awake yet. She glanced to her left side, and raised her eyebrows in amusement: Neal's head was nestled between her head and her shoulder, and his arm lay across her waist.

__

He's clutching me like a teddy bear! she thought. The mental picture of Neal clutching a raggedy teddy bear was so entertaining that she actually laughed out loud, causing him to wake up.

"You look a lot less sarcastic when you sleep," she told him, and extracted herself and stood up while he rubbed his eyes and tried to figure out whether that was a compliment. Byrn chortled in amusement.

Kel looked around. Chills ran up and down her back. What she had thought was a hallucination was real – she _was_ on a ship. And what was even stranger, the ship was fully functioning, sails billowing, heading straight – but there was no one in sight.

Shaking herself, Kel walked over to where Byrn was perched on an extra beam. "Well?" she said, sticking her hands on her hips. "What do you have to say for yourself?" The immortal burbled happily, fluffing up her feathers and making a lick of flame jump off her wings. 

Neal joined her, looking around in amazement. "_What_ is going _on_?"

"I couldn't tell you. We're apparently on a ship, but I have no idea _how _we got here, and since the only living being who does can't communicate with us, we're in somewhat of a dilemma."

Neal shrugged. "Works for me. Just as long as we're not on the Isle of Dementia any more." Kel rolled her eyes.

The two Tortallans located the galley and started a fire. They also found sufficient supplies to last for a two-week journey – exactly the amount they'd need for the trip from the Copper Isles to Tortall.

"This is just too weird," said Kel.

"I can accept it," Neal said with a grin, leaning back in his chair and putting his arms behind his head. "I think the real problem is, 'What do we do now?'"

"Well, we have Five. There's only one more left!" Kel said excitedly.

"Yeah, but even Sir Myles had no clue about where the Sixth is," Neal said, being the usual killjoy.

Kel whacked him lightly on the side, and Neal grabbed her hand. "Kel, I—" he broke off. "I'm glad that you didn't die."

Kel laughed. "What, even with you pushing me out a window into the ocean? Well, I am too."

He hadn't let go of her hand. "No, I mean . . . I don't know what I would do, if—" he couldn't finish.

Surprised and touched at his show of emotion, Kel answered in kind. "I know. I don't know how I'd live if you were gone." Neal leaned over and kissed her slowly. They fell into the kiss, and the feeling of each other.

Kel pulled back with a businesslike air. "All right, now that _that's_ out of the way — what does it say?

It took him a few seconds to think of what she meant. Neal closed his eyes, reciting the words from memory. "Six: at the center of three homes."

Kel thought for a second, then made a lets-just-go-for-it face. "It's easy enough to figure out where to go. I don't know about having three homes, but the one home I do have is in Tortall. We need to get back on home soil. And apparently," she said, continuing, "We're already on our way there. I say we just hold on."

Neal nodded his head, but his eyes were suddenly preoccupied.

"What's wrong?" Kel asked, worried. Her friend and lover turned to her, biting his lip as he obviously tried to think of the best way to phrase whatever it was he wanted to say. "Just spit it out," Kel prodded.

Neal shrugged doubtfully, but obeyed. "Kel — Mindelan is on the very border of Tortall and Scanra. We haven't heard anything about it since Carthak. It's possible— It's probable—" Kel's heart began to hurt. "Kel, Mindelan has probably been captured."

Her throat closed up. This was a truth she had been avoiding. It would creep into her thoughts at night, and she had learned to shove it to the back again, avoiding the implications. But now, with a homecoming so close for them, Kel finally adjusted her idea of what Tortall would be like.

"But Queenscove— Queenscove is—" she began, sick at heart.

"Right by Carthak, I know," Neal finished miserably. "I doubt it's still unconquered." He let out a sound that could have been a cough or a sob, and pulled her close against his chest in a tight embrace. Byrn flapped her wings, looking displaced.

Kel allowed one tear to fall before she shut out her feelings again. _This is no time to break down!_ she told herself fiercely. _Not after you've come this far – when it's all over, _then _you can cry._" She shoved her feelings back in that place in her mind that she dared not leave open for very long, and smoothed her heart and her face over as she had been taught.

"Let's go," she said, pulling away from him. "We have to get there soon. I don't know if I can stand this much longer." Neal nodded his silent agreement, but he stopped mid-nod and grabbed her arm.

"Kel!" he said, eyes wide. "Our horses – we forgot them!"

Before Kel could reply, Byrn interrupted from her perch on Kel's shoulder. She let out a short chirp and drew herself up proudly. "Wha–" Kel began, but then the immortal took off, flying up the stairs. They followed her.

Peachblossom and Topaz stood on the deck, fully saddled, groomed as though they had been staying in the Palace stables, and looking extremely pleased with themselves.

"Peachblossom?!" Kel cried, running to her mount. "How in the Great Gods names did you _get_ here?" Neal did the same, murmuring soft words in her ear once he reached her.

Byrn launched into what was obviously supposed to serve for an explanation. Peachblossom and Topaz pricked their ears up and seemed to listen, and they neighed or whickered occasionally. Byrn finally broke off as she realized she was completely incoherent to the two humans standing in front of her.

"I wish Daine was here," Neal said wistfully, shaking his head. "Maybe she'd be able to tell us how our horses made it onto an unmanned ship fully saddled and looking none the worse for wear."

"So, do we have to actually _do_ anything?" Kel asked Byrn skeptically. The phoenix shook her head smugly.

"Okay," Neal said doubtfully. "But _you_," he pointed at Byrn, "Better know what you're doing."

She ignored him.

***

Two weeks later, Kel and Neal stepped off the boarding ramp of the ship and onto Tortallan soil for the first time in more than three months.

"Ahh," said Neal, elated. "How good it feels to be _home_."

A rain of arrows erupted from the treeline, zinging towards the two Tortallans. Byrn, flying ahead of them, had to dodge one when it came dangerously close to her wing. Neal instantly reacted, throwing up his hands and creating a wall of green fire between the archers and them. They sprinted around the other side of the ship, leading their horses.

"Gods!" Kel shrieked, exasperated. "Can't _anything _be _easy_? Nooooo. We _just_ get home, and we're _attacked_! Why not just throw an entire _company_ at us, _huh_?"

"Oh, the irony," Neal moaned, motioning to the other side. Kel ran and looked, and sure enough, a company of Scanrans was headed towards their retreat.

"_Do something_!" Kel screamed, looking up at the sky and raising her arms. Neal looked at her with worry in his eyes, but his attention was immediately diverted by what happened next.

The air _screeched_. There was a noiseless explosion, and a voice cried, "_Begone!_"

And the Scanrans were gone.

And Pitken stood before them.

He looked infinitely tired as he gazed at them. His clothes were wrinkled, and his hair looked unkempt. The feather in his hat drooped.

"So," he said, his deep voice rumbling. "Thee have found thy way home."

Kel stood stunned. Neal, standing beside her, was also frozen. Byrn drifted to Kel's shoulder, her warmth penetrating through the fabric of her tunic. The horses whickered uneasily.

Finally, Kel gathered her wits together enough to speak. "Wha—What happened to . . . to _them_?" she asked, waving a hand that encompassed where the Scanrans had been scant minutes before.

"I merely sent them back to Scanra, that they might take weeks in getting back." Kel nodded thoughtfully. "But to business!" Pitken cried. Both Kel and Neal jumped backwards.

"What business have we with you?" Neal asked, confused.

"Much. Have thee not thought it strange that thee have had such little competition?" Kel closed her eyes, not liking where the conversation was about to go. "Little ones, thee are not the only ones who wish to find the Six that have been hidden long. I have been working hard to keep them back, but . . . they don't give up. They begin to wear me down."

"Then–" Neal's voice squeaked. He cleared his throat. "Then you're an immortal?"

Pitken inclined his head. "I am the Guardian, sent by the gods nigh on three hundred years ago. My duty is to protect the Six of immense power – I must help the searchers to find them, and keep the wrong ones from doing just that."

"And we're the right ones?" Kel prodded.

"That thou are." Suddenly, Pitken's outline flickered, and an unrecognizable expression crossed his face.

"Wha–" Kel asked, concern in her eyes.

"Don't! Don't speak!" Pitken closed his eyes, concentrating. "They are fighting to break the illusion I placed . . . they fight . . ." he trailed off. Kel and Neal watched his motionless form for a few minutes that seemed to last an eternity.

Suddenly, Pitken's eyes snapped open. His outline solidified. "They have broken it. Thee must fly! Thee must find the Sixth!"

"_Who_ broke your spell?" Neal cried, frustration evident in his voice.

"The forces of Chaos." Pitken said wearily. "Even with their queen imprisoned, they get orders from her still, and will follow those orders to their own deaths. And now, they are all focused on _thee_." Kel swallowed. "You are closer to finding all Six than any mortals in the four centuries since their creation. If Chaos allows you to complete the prophecy, she and all her servants will be forced from the Mortal Realms for . . . long enough that the story of her going will be forgotten when she returns."

There was a silence. "Does this have to do with why our country is suddenly being attacked, for what seems to be no reason, by practically _everyone_?" Neal asked flatly.

"Chaos is behind it. Her servants guide your enemies."

"And . . . and they're all after _us_?" Neal sounded faint.

"After your country, for their power with the gods, and after you, for your purpose with the Six." He flickered again, more severely this time. "Thou must hurry! Thou must solve the riddle, and find the Sixth, and use the Six for the purpose they were created!" He flickered again. "My time with thee grows short. I must away, ere they find me, and by finding me, find thee."

"Wait! How come Chaos hasn't been able to find the Six before us?" Kel cried.

"The last direction – the direction to the Sixth – was written for only the two who were sent on this quest to know. No one in these Realms knows where the Sixth lies, save thee two." Kel heard Neal gulp.

But she had still more to ask. "Can't you give us _any _help with the clue that leads to the Sixth? It says three homes . . . but I only have one home!"

Pitken looked at her strangely, saying, "And he has one home too." He nodded at Neal as he spoke.

Kel opened her mouth to say something else, but Pitken continued, even as his figure faded away. "Find the Sixth . . . then thee may rest . . ."

He was gone.

****

So much for the no-author's-note-at-the-end plan. But I have nothing to say, just that I really want to break 300 reviews! Please! that's only nine more, and I _know_ that nine people will read this story . . . so just one little review!


	32. A Short Respite

****

*slaps chapter's hand* naughty, chapter! Naughty naughty chapter! *sighs* this chapter got a little out of hand . . . you'll know when you read it. *cringes* don't flame me too much.

*cringes again* wow . . . cliffhangers really piss people off! I didn't even think that the last chapter _was _a cliffie, but apparently it was. Also, I had no idea that so many of you read my story! I mean, thirtysomething reviews in one chapter? *sobs* you like me! you really, really, like me! responses are at the end of this chapter . . . maybe. I haven't decided whether it would be the right place for them.

urf. Dog breath. *gags*

Haha! Yay for smart people! A couple people have already figured out the last clue! *pats smart people on head* good. Good.

grrr. I'm listening to everclear. Everclear is good ranting music. Grrrrr. If anyone tries to talk to me I'll EAT THEM. not really though.

Okay, we're getting to the good stuff. A GREAT BIG ECSTATIC THANK YOU goes out to Keita, who pointed out some very obvious things to me that I would have overlooked, and therefore saved the plot and my reputation as an author. (If I even have one).

And now, on to the story!

A Short Respite

Kel and Neal hadn't moved. They were frozen, staring at the place where Pitken had been.

Thoughts whirled through Kel's head. _The entire Realm of Chaos — after us?_ _Oh, Goddess and Mithros, how are we going to do this? I'm not even twenty yet! _she thought, closing her eyes.

Neal spoke, interrupting her thoughts. "Kel, we don't have time to think of 'what ifs.'" He knew her so well that he guessed what she was thinking. "We have to figure out the clue to the Sixth, and _fast_."

Kel opened her eyes and nodded. "But not here. We're in the open, and the horses are sinking."

Neal looked, and saw that she was right. The horses' weight had been pushing them into the soft sand at the water's edge. He grabbed Topaz's reins, and led her to the treeline, followed by Kel and Peachblossom. Byrn perched amiably on Peachblossom's mane.

When they reached the relative safety of the forest, Kel turned to the phoenix. "Um, Byrn?" she asked hesitantly. Byrn chirped in response. "Do you think you could play sentry? Let us know if anyone comes close?" The immortal took flight, and soared into the forest.

Neal shrugged. "I guess that means yes."

Kel opened one of Peachblossom's saddlebags, shaking her head in wonder as she saw that everything that was originally in them was still intact. She pulled out a blanket and tossed it to Neal, who spread it on the ground. He folded his legs and sat down on it, and Kel toted over another blanket — it was cold so close to the ocean.

Their horses moved quietly off into the forest. Kel was about to call for them to stay here, but thought better of it. Horses were no fools, especially ones who had been around Daine. Their mounts knew enough to stay away from any other people, and she knew they wouldn't go so far as to not be able to hear their riders calling for them.

"So," Kel began. "Pitken didn't really help. I thought he was supposed to make it easier for us to find the Sixth!"

"I'm sure he thought he was being helpful," said Neal.

Kel rolled her eyes. "All he did was point out that you had a home. Of _course_ you have a home! Everyone has a home! I have one too, but–" she stopped, realizing what she said.

"You have a home, and I do, too," said Neal slowly. "That makes two homes."

"That's it! What's in the center of Mindelan and Queenscove?" Kel said excitedly.

"Kel? Unless you're forgetting, the scroll says _three_ homes. Not two. Three." Neal spoke as if he was talking to someone extremely dull-witted.

"Oh. Right." Kel looked sheepish. "So where's the third home?"

"I don't know. Like Pitken said, I only have one home, and I know you only have one home. I mean, you're not Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and Somewhere Else, like milord Raoul, or Alanna." Neal said thoughtfully.

"But maybe it's not as obvious as that," Kel pointed out. "If it's been hidden for this long without someone else finding it, it can't just be somewhere where everyone can find it."

"Pitken said that the clue to the Sixth was one that _only we_ could figure out, so no one else would be able to find it," Neal countered.

"Well, it's not like _we_ have a house together," Kel said wearily.

"It said 'home,' not 'house,'" Neal corrected.

"Does it even make a difference?"

"It could. A house is just a house. A home is where you have people who love you, and where you love to be."

"_Fine_. It's not like we have a _home_ together. Are you happy now?"

But Neal didn't reply. He had furrowed his brows in thought. Kel poked him in the ribs. "I _said_, are you happy now?"

"A home— A house —" Neal was clearly preoccupied.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Kel asked him.

Without warning, Neal jumped to his feet and gave a whoop of joy. "That's _it!_ We were thinking of it in terms of _houses_, but it's _homes_, not houses! And that's where the Sixth is! At the center of three _homes_!"

"That's all well and good, but _where's the third home_?" Kel yelled the last words.

"Think." Neal crossed his arms across his chest.

Kel sprang to her feet and grabbed Neal's arms. "_I don't want to think_. You know where it is, and we're being chased by gods-curst _legions_ of troops from Chaos! _Tell me_, before I kill you!"

"Ahh, but then you still wouldn't know where the Sixth is, would you?" Neal said, eyebrows raised. He closed his mouth right after finishing his sentence and pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. Kel screamed in frustration.

"It's really quite obvious, once you think about it," Neal offered. Kel growled, glared daggers, and began shaking him.

"Ow-w-w-w!" he cried, voice going up and down as she shook him. "It-t-t-'s C-c-c-or-r-r-rus-s-s!"

Kel stopped. "Where?"

"Corus! It's Corus, and the Palace!" he said, laughing in spite of his situation.

Kel paused, thinking it over. After half a minute, she threw her hands up in the air, crying, "You're a genius!" She lowered her hands around his neck, and surprised him by leaning forward and kissing him thoroughly. He responded, slipping his arms around her waist and deepening their kiss. Kel forgot what she was supposed to be doing. Minutes passed — or maybe seconds, or maybe hours — she had no grasp on time anymore.

Neal's hands drifted to her tunic front and slid up her sides, making her shiver. The shiver brought her to her senses. She pulled away, gasping, "No, we can't! We don't have time!"

He started nuzzling her neck, whispering, "It's okay — we'll make it fast."

"No! We can't— We ca—" Kel gave up trying to form a coherent sentence and moved her hands to the side of his face, pulling his mouth back to hers for a burning kiss. "Well, fine," she murmured against his lips. "But this is the only time I'm going to let you win."

Neal laughed and drew her down to the blanket.

***

A short while later, Kel sighed. She had her eyes closed and was smiling. "That _was_ fast," she said.

"Told you so." Neal's voice was muffled. She looked at him. He was pulling his shirt over his head in the process of dressing. Kel lay under the blanket and admired his muscles. **(I couldn't help it!)** His head emerged from the neckhole, and he caught her staring. He raised one eyebrow, and she blushed and turned away.

"And I promise I'll never do it again," he continued. Her head whipped around to see Neal grinning wickedly. She rolled her eyes and yawned. "I should probably get dressed," she said regretfully.

Neal was looking for his breeches. He finally located them, but stopped moving and snorted. "You'll probably need those," he told her, and pointed to his left. She looked over, warily. It was her loincloth.

Kel groaned. "Leave me alone," she said. She leaned over and grabbed them. She found the rest of her clothes and fiddled around under the blanket until she was fully dressed.

"The Palace, the Palace, the answer is the Palace," she hummed in a little sing-song voice as she tied her shirt laces. "The Palace, the answer is the Palace—"

"Really."

That was not Neal's voice.

Kel bit her tongue to keep from shrieking. Neal yelled.

Standing right in front of her was the man from the King of the Copper Isle's secret chamber — Ichaeruut, the servant of Uusoae.

Kel groped around her for her sword, her bow, her daggers — anything. Ichaeruut smirked brought his hand from behind his back. He was holding her sword by the hilt, dangling it from his hand. "It helps, Lady Knight, if you are dressed when you try to fight," he said scathingly. Kel colored, but her eyes never left his.

"Here." Neal tossed her a dagger. She jumped to her feet as he moved to stand beside her, holding his sword at the ready.

"How do you know who we are?" Kel shot her words at him.

He laughed. "All of Chaos knows who you are! The two petty mortals whose quest it is to find the Six. And I know that you know who I am — or did you think I hadn't sensed you, hiding under the whore's bed?" he remarked.

They didn't move.

"You should be happy," Ichaeruut continued, talking to Neal. "Thanks to your . . . companion's . . . stupidity, you saved me the trouble of prying the location out of _you_. She saved you a lot of pain — although," he said, tapping his chin with his free hand, "not in the long run."

"What do _you_ need the Six for?" Neal hissed. "You don't have the Five!"

Ichaeruut's eyes flashed, and he began to glow. "What business allows _you_ to question _me,_ insignificant pest? I am Ichaeruut, the greatest power of Chaos, second only to the High Queen herself, Uusoae, even as she lays imprisoned! You should _die_ for your insolence!" His voice had slowly raised to a bellow, louder than any mortal's voice could be.

But he stopped glowing abruptly, and forced a smile. "Let me oblige you. By having the Sixth, the most powerful, I can call all the others to me. But I waste time in idle conversation. I must get to the Palace. I take my leave of you." He bowed.

As his head was bowed, Kel threw her dagger. It went straight through his head. He straightened immediately, laughing. "You think to kill me. I can no more be killed than the gods. Save your energy for more . . ." He glanced at the rumpled blankets, "domestic pursuits. You seem to enjoy them. Now let me _leave you_!" he finished loudly.

"They'll never let you in the Palace!" Neal yelled. "We _mortals_ are perceptive; we can sense that you're evil! The King will never let you in!"

Ichaeruut looked pityingly at them. "Have you heard nothing? Tortall is free no longer. All that is left is Corus, and we are within scant days of conquering that." He laughed at the pain in their eyes. "And there is _nothing_ that you can do to save it, especially since _I_ will be in possession of the Six by the end of tomorrow." He vanished with a bang.

Neal let loose with a string of Alanna's finest curses. "This is _terrible_. He knows where the Sixth is! And he's going to get there first, and we're going to—"

"Shhh," Kel cut him off quietly; a very important thought was trying to make itself known. It came to her suddenly. "No, it's all right," she said.

"How is it _all right_?" Neal was livid.

"He thinks that the Sixth is at the Palace. It's not. The Palace is the third home, not the center. And the center is where the Sixth is."

Neal paused. "You're right," he said slowly.

"I know. But Ichaeruut's no idiot; he'll realize his mistake soon enough, and I've no doubt he knows where we're from. Which means that we have very little time to find the Sixth. Get the map."

Consciously, both of them refused to speak of Ichaeruut's last words, and the fall of Tortall.

Neal ran to the saddlebags. He rooted through them before finding the maps of Tortall, including one that was of the entire country. Kel had been busy folding up the blankets, and as she stacked them, she whistled for their horses to return.

Kel unrolled the map and secured it with four stones at the corners. "So," she said slowly. "Queenscove, Mindelan, and Corus." As she spoke, she placed pebbles on each location. They formed a triangle.

"And the center of the triangle is . . ." Neal paused dramatically while looking at the map. "Greencroft. Greencroft?"

Kel shrugged in answer. She pulled one of the keys from the keyring and drew a circle around the village in question. A bubble appeared in the air above the map, showing a stereotypical village as the view rotated 360 degrees.

Kel leaned back. "I remember learning about this place. Don't you?" Neal shook his head. "It's where the Goddess first appeared, way back in the beginning of the world. And the people who live in the village built an immense shrine to honor her, and people make pilgrimages there, and it's really holy, and . . . You don't remember any of this?"

"I've told you before," he said with a straight face. "I slept through lessons. But I understand that we have to go to this Greencroft place to find the Sixth." Just then, Peachblossom and Topaz came into their clearing at a leisurely trot.

"Right, then," Kel said. "Let's go."

****

Hahahahahaha. Greencroft is the name of my grandmother's assisted living place in indiana. Hahahahahahahaha.

Shoot. Let me explain . . . I read a story, and it screwed up my writing style. It was a bad story, and the author kept switching from past tense to present . . . i.e. "she still practices all the days she could." Arrrrrgh. It was driving me UP A FREAKING WALL. And I think it rubbed off on me. because I don't like how I wrote in this chapter. so yeah.

RESPONDATIONS:

Larzdinn (L L L L L): yes, school is the spawn of the devil. Happy birthday! And wow. I had no idea you felt so . . . heatedly about your pen name. I didn't mean it was bad, it just sounded to me like it could be some scandinavian god, or something . . . and making up words isn't bad – my screen name used to be figyjet. (pronounced "fidgy-jet")

Camisole: why hello there! fancy meeting you here! Nice weather we've been having, isn't it? and I'm glad that it was still shocking and exciting – that means I'm (somewhat of) a good writer. NEAL IS A SWEETIE. And I'm sorry about your toe. Get a hot guy to kiss it and make it all better . . . although I don't know if anyone would want to kiss your feet . . . okay, moving on. Hehehehe . . . our story's gonna KICK MAJOR . . . gluteus maximus

Bubblegum*girl: "brilliant" is one of my FAVORITE adjectives! It makes me happy that you used it to describe my chapter.

Purple_Eyez04: I _think _that the next chapter will suffice your need for more confusing obstacles . . . I hope.

KeladryLadyKnight: Kealers forever! And wow . . . seven cousins? I have three.

Loony: AHHHHHHHHHHH. What can I do to make you happy?????? AHHHHHHHHH. I feel so stupid! Of course I should know how to use Olde Engleesh correctly! *bangs herself on head* but thank you for writing all that . . . I'm sure it will come in handy _sometime_ in the future. However, I am too lazy to go back and change it. if you had enough time and the inclination, I would be willing to send the last chapter to you for fixing up . . . but only if you wanted to. And part of the reason is that I don't DO "hath" and "dost mine ears deceive me?" that's just too complicated. It's just "thee" and "thy" for me. I think your name is pwetty! And ben affleck IS HOT. But he is square-looking, I agree. And I think orlando bloom is hot . . . I have a piccy of him on my Wall Of Hot Men. Hmmm . . . music . . . everclear, but the old stuff, with song titles like "you make me feel like a whore" and "all f***ed up," not the new, poppy stuff, silverchair, green day, aerosmith, jimmy eat world, blink 182, dave matthews band, no doubt, to name a few.

Min: Neal is just a sweetie, and I had to point that out to everyone! And I'm happy that you think my fic is creative and well thought out – I actually just have the general outline, and I'm thinking it up as I go. And isn't it weird that we both used the same term for "party" in our stories? – "gala." *hums twilight zone theme*

Felix: ya know, you could be Felix the Phoenix. That would be cool. Or maybe not. And thanks!

Aric: yes, Byrn and Pitken both are vital to the plot. Sort of. Well, Byrn is. Pitken's just kind of my cool dude.

Prophecygirl: I did, I did, and I hope you liked it!

Lady Kel of Masbolle: hmmmmm. LOVE YOUR NAME. *coughs* I sort of have started a new story, but I put it on hold until this one's done . . . you might check it out – it's called In Pursuit of Azure's Sadness.

Ice-Otter: I know! Isn't that weird?

Princess Sanidaylene: hehehehe. You win!

Dragon queen: yay again for little birdies!

Karina: one more chapter, hold on, hold on . . .

Lady rose: I know! I did it, too!

PurpleSakura: yeah, that was pretty bad. *cringes* don't hate me! cliffhangers are just literary devices!

Penfin: why thank you! ummm, I never said that the Sixth was in the Isles . . . well, now you know!

Songbreeze the Omnipresent: you're back! Yay! ENCORE indeed!

Hyperchick88: wow, you really are a hyper chick.

Faithful: It did! Your review did cheer me up! And you know, I hadn't thought about what will happen to Byrn . . . but now that I have thought, I know! But YOU'LL just have to wait . . . hehe.

ThePenMage: *looks down nose at you* I'm very disappointed. But it doesn't matter, because you decided to review again! And THANKYOUTHANKYOU for alerting me to the "kissed HIM" thing . . . that's just disturbing.

And I'm sorry, but I'm only responding to people who reveiwed chapter 31, because I'm too lazy to go back, and I don't remember if I've already said something . . . just another reason to review every chapter – you never know when I'll get happy and talk back! More coming soon . . .


	33. The Statue of the Goddess

****

YES!!!! I HAVE CONQUERED THE ALLMIGHTY WRITER'S BLOCK! Thanks to the monotony of french class, actually. And here is a special thank you to everyone who helped with booby traps – I might not have used your idea, but it could have spurred a different idea, so EVERYONE'S suggestions helped. THANKS SOOOO MUCH. I wouldn't have done it without you – you being (and I'm using email names): mjzp, angel_child0011, alannangeorge4eva, CPRNC, Gaters2000, skysong_kitten, cartersgotback, bookwormforever407, j-emerson, and of course, LadyKnight, Cami and Keita, who help me with everything. I love EVERYONE who helped!

Moving on . . .

I'M SO HAPPY!!!! if you hadn't noticed, and you probably haven't, I haven't been here since LAST SUNDAY. Gah. I got grounded off the computer. Gah again. I strongly dislike parental needs to control.

Ooooooh, I'm watching titanic for the first time in like two years. I had forgotten how good it is. and actually, leonardo dicaprio is sort of hot. Sort of.

I'm estimating, that if all goes according to plan, the story will end in three (two? maybe) chapters. *breaks into tears yet again* I don't want it to leavvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve. But haha-di-ha on everyone, because I have three stories-in-the-writing, not including azure's sadness. Which, by the way, is going to be short. Er. Shorter. But hah! I have more to write! One is a joke, which is already posted, and should (again, according to plan) be somewhat funny. Hmmmmmm. A little off the subject. BACK TO THE STORY!

The Statue of the Goddess

It took less than five minutes for Kel and Neal to load the saddlebags back onto their horses and mount up. They were both expecting a day of heavy riding — Greencroft was nine hours away.

They rode non-stop, mixing periods of cantering and trotting with rest periods of walking. Neal magicked them to look like Scanran officers, so no one bothered them – Scanran officers in a hurry were notorious for losing patience with petty complaints.

Kel and Neal trotted into Greencroft as the sun was setting. The guardsman at the gate to the village hastily saluted, averting his eyes. Neal gave a curt nod – neither Tortallan could speak because their accents would give them away.

As they passed the doorway, Kel caught a glimpse of what looked like a slave line, hauling heavy stones to help build a fortified wall around the noncombatant village. As she watched, one of the guardsmen lashed a whip out, nicking the bare back of a middle aged man. The man cried out, but he never stopped moving. Kel gritted her teeth and rode on.

The village was a sad mixture of sound. The normal clamor of a village at peace was replaced with the clang of weapons and armor, and the guttural language of the Scanrans. Everywhere they looked, Kel and Neal saw soldiers, be they huddled around fires or sparring in an open area.

As they rode on, it became evident that although Greencroft had only been under Scanran dominion for a short while, the tension was wearing down its inhabitants. Their faces were etched with shame and surrender, and hollow cheeks spoke of a starvation diet. Adding to that was the fact that their clothes hung loosely and raggedly on too-thin bodies — bodies that also reeked of exhaustion.

Kel couldn't bear to look. She stared into Peachblossom's mane. She and Neal rode on, trying to look as if they knew where they were going.

Fortunately, even if the two knights didn't know what they were doing, someone else did. A camp lackey, his uniform stained and wrinkled, ran up to them, shouting in Scanran. On the other hand, they couldn't quite understand everything he said, which only made things doubly more complicated. Especially since he was talking about quite important things.

"Milords Rachni and Tyslt, we didn't _nsdhfayb_ you until day after tomorrow!" Neal gave a abrupt nod, and the lackey continued. "How _ahdfb_ the ride?" Kel gave an offhand gesture that indicated absolutely nothing. "I see. Well, would you _iwbcibihxbux _consulting with milord Cheshin now?" Neal grunted and shook his head. "That's as well as anything. He's already bedded down for the night — So early, _ahinkhxbh_? Well, you know captured women — They'll do _anything_ to get out of a day's work!" The man wiggled his eyebrows conspiratorially, and Kel fought the urge to smack the chuckle from his lips.

Neal leaned forward in his saddle and cleared his throat in such a way that it made it clear he was about to rebuke the man. The Scanran quickly continued. "Ah, well. You're not _naibdugklik_ in _that_, are you now? You can bed down in there." He gestured to a building off to the left. Kel closed her eyes. It was part of the Shrine of Mithros, honored here as the consort of the Goddess. Neal nodded. "We'll send someone to _qiknz_ you in the morning — sleep well, milords! Just give us a minute to clear out the _pobbsnx _— we've been using all the space we can."

Kel nodded. The man bowed and ran off.

Ten minutes later, they were ushered into the Shrine. Two mattresses were lying in the middle of the room, in front of the statue of Mithros. Kel gulped at the sight of the statue, which was cracked and slashed almost beyond recognition by the Scanrans. Kel sent up a quick prayer of apology for the disrespectful treatment of the Sun God.

Neal motioned to one of the mattresses. "Go ahead."

"Just a minute," she said, holding up a hand. "Are we alone? Is the door locked?"

Lifting his hand, green fire flew from Neal's fingers to the door. It hit the wall like a snowball and expanded until it covered the door in a sheet of green flame. "It is now," he said, a smile touching his lips.

Kel slung her pack carefully from her shoulders and lifted off the flap that covered the top. Byrn flew out with a low trill, taking off around the room. She flew for a few seconds, stretching her cramped wings, then landed on Kel's forearm. The phoenix spread her wings wide, and Kel noted that they only went from her elbow to the tip of her smallest finger — she was quite a small bird.

Neal's voice jolted her back to the present. "So," he said. "Where is the Sixth?"

"I've been thinking about that," Kel answered, shifting so Byrn climbed up her arm to her shoulder. "Did you see that statue of the Goddess in the square? I'm guessing that it has something to do with it. I mean, if it's not there, it's probably around there, or there are clues that start at the statue or something."  
"What makes you think that?" Neal asked skeptically.

"Think about it. Pitken was sent by the gods to guard the Six. That implies that the gods know about these things and want them kept safe. And what better place for safety than the statue of the Goddess? No one would dare poke around it for fear of their wrath. If the Sixth isn't there, than the next clue is, so that's where we have to go."

Neal nodded slowly. "And how are we going to get to the statue in the midst of a camp filled with Scanrans?"

Kel turned to Byrn. "Byrn, will you wake us up in . . . oh, five hours? That's two o'clock in the morning – everyone in camp except the sentries should be asleep by then. All right?" Byrn chirped in response.

She turned her gaze back to Neal, who lay down on one of the ratty mattresses and covered himself in a thin blanket before saying, "Fine by me." Kel rolled her eyes and lay down next to him, hoping to get at least some sleep before this last, hardest part of her journey.

***

Five hours later, to the minute, Byrn softly trilled a wake up call. Kel opened her eyes, blinking, and yawned. Neal sat bolt upright.

"Wha–" he began loudly, and Kel grabbed his head and wrapped her fingers around his mouth.

"Shhhhh!" she admonished. "We're in the _Scanran_ camp, remember?" Neal nodded, and she let him go.

"So, we're going now?" he asked. Kel nodded. "Right then," he stated. "I'd best get my sword on." Kel wisely decided not to yell at him for not wearing his swordbelt — _If he hasn't learned by now_, she thought, _Then I guess the gods have decided that he will _never _learn, and he's fated to die because he wasn't wearing it and he needed it, and —_

Her thoughts were interrupted when Neal shook her by the shoulders and said "Are we _going_, or what?" She nodded, and got to her feet.

Neal pushed open the door of the shrine and stuck only his head out. The camp was deserted; nothing moved. Light from a full moon shone into the camp, bathing everything in a ethereal pale blue glow. The statue was visible from his vantage point, just fifty yards to the left.

Kel stuck her head out the door, took in the scene, and then nudged him. "Full moon," she whispered in his ear. "The Goddess must be out tonight."

"Let's just get to the statue," he muttered back. "I don't like it here any more than you do."

Slipping under his arm, Kel walked off in the direction of the statue on cat-quiet feet. Neal exited the shrine and closed the door quietly before running after her. Byrn glided out of the shrine before the lock caught, soaring after them and exuding a soft light.

Kel was so preoccupied with checking all around them for Scanrans that she didn't realize how close she was to the statue. Therefore, it came as quite a shock when she suddenly found herself right in front of it.

The statue was impressive. The Great Mother was cut out of marble, and was at least twice the size of Kel herself, although probably larger. The statue was carved with such delicacy and attention to detail that it looked as if the Goddess could just begin to walk away. Every hair on her head was carved, as was her fingernails and her eyelashes.

She wore a simple dress, and her hands and feet were bare. The Mother's face was tilted down to look at her worshippers as they paid homage, so Kel could see a thin circlet that banded her forehead.

"It's like she's really here," Neal whispered reverently, staring up into her face in awe.

Kel nodded. "But what are we supposed to do now?"

As if in answer to her question, Kel noticed a faint heat at her side — coming from the belt pouch in which she kept the Five Stones they had recovered. Remembering the last time, she hurriedly unhooked it from her belt and let it fall to the ground.

Neal opened his mouth to ask a question, but froze when he glanced at the pouch.

"It's glowing," he stated.

"Again," Kel added.

"Open it," he told her.

Kel, looking at the light now emanating from the pouch, shook her head fiercely. "You do it," she told him. "And quickly! Before someone notices!"

Neal bent down, muttering about stubborn knights. He nudged the pouch with his boot, and nothing happened, so he reached down and pulled the drawstring.

Five dancing balls of colored light shot out of the pouch and flew to the statue. Kel could just make out the colors — red, green, blue, copper, and white. She could just see that they ended up in five distinct places — the Goddess's hands and feet, and the copper one to the band across her forehead.

For a split second, all five lights flashed bright, blinding Kel and Neal. When their eyes cleared of the resulting white lights that clouded their vision, two things become immediately clear.

One, the balls of light had been extinguished, and two, the statue had slid back several feet, silently revealing a dark hole beneath the moonlight. A ladder grew out of the hole, leading downwards into the gloom.

"Well," Kel finally said, staring at the hole. "Let's go." She marched up to the hole and lowered herself onto the ladder. Neal followed her lead, and Byrn slowly dropped along with them, her fiery glow lighting the way. The statue slid closed as soon as they were all on the ladder.

By Kel's judgement, they had descended at least fifty yards before the hole bottomed out. Kel extracted herself from the ladder and waited until Neal had both feet on the ground before she grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. The two knights headed warily down the corridor.

"Kel, I don't like this," Neal said anxiously. "It's too quiet."

Kel turned to stare at him. "Of _course_ it's quiet, you halfwit! We're the only ones here!" Her voice echoed down the passage before fading into the dark. She gripped Neal's hand harder. "But I agree," she added in a small voice, unlike her. "I don't like it here either. So let's find the Sixth and get out."

After several minutes' quick walking, they came to a doorway.

Byrn flew into the next room, her glow illuminating it. The light revealing a narrow room, with rows of wooden statues of what looked to be men in guard uniforms lining the wall.

"What is _this_?" Neal murmured.

"Let's not go in just yet," Kel suggested nervously.

"Good call," Neal replied quickly. He shifted his weight, and in doing so, one of his feet moved just the slightest bit into the next room.

The first stone of the room's floor made the smallest movement, and a small soft sound, like a puff of air, echoed through the chamber.

"What wa–" Kel started to say, but Neal pointed into the room, and when she saw what had caught his attention, her words caught in her throat.

A crossbow quarrel stuck quivering in the base of a statue on the left side of the room. Following the direction of the bolt with her eyes, Kel realized that it must have come from the open mouth of one of the guard statues.

"I do feel better now, knowing what's going on," Neal supplied cheerfully.

"Someday your optimism will get you killed," Kel replied absently. "I wonder . . ."

She slid her foot into the room again. Another crossbow quarrel flew past. "So," she said slowly, working things out. "The room is rigged to shoot at anyone that tries to enter – did you see how high the bolt was aimed?" she finished abstractly.

"Maybe about chest height? Four and a half feet off the ground, at the least," he answered, staring into the room and the two crossbow bolts.

"Okay," Kel said, shrugging. "So we'll crawl."

"What?" Neal said, looking confused.

"We'll crawl across," Kel repeated slowly, as if talking to someone very stupid. "Because then the bolts will shoot over our heads."

"Aha," he said, pointing at her. "Good plan." Kel rolled her eyes, got on her hands and knees, and started to crawl across the room.

As soon as she put her first hand on the stone, crossbow bolts began to shoot in a steady continuous stream over her head. Even though she knew there was extra space between the bolts and her head, Kel practically hugged the ground as she scuttled along.

Glancing back, Kel saw Neal begin his crossing. Byrn waddled along the floor, too cautious of a stray bolt to fly.

And stray bolts there were. After not being used for several centuries, some of the bolts were shot crooked and ricocheted around the room before shattering on the walls. One bolt pinged off the stone right in front of Kel. One of the statue's sights was off, and the steady stream of bolts was a good foot closer to the ground. Kel pressed herself into the ground and continued.

Even with the obstacles, it took Kel just a few minutes before she was safely on the other side. She lifted herself off the ground and looked with distaste at her grimy hands before wiping them on her tunic and turning around.

Neal pulled himself into the corridor but didn't get up, instead laying spread-eagled on the floor. "That," he said, "Was not fun."

Kel laughed despite their situation, and pulled him to his feet. "Come on, lazybones," she teased as she pushed him down the hall. "Or should I just leave you alone?"

"No, I'll come," he said hurriedly just as they reached the next door, barely twenty feet away. Both knights skidded to a halt, remembering all too well the booby trap of the last chamber.

Kel and Neal paused, surveying the room before them. It looked absolutely normal. The room was about a hundred yards long, and it looked to be square. The door to the next corridor was directly across from them.

"What do you think?" Kel asked after a few seconds' study.

"No way. This room is rigged, just like the last one," he replied immediately.

"That's pretty much what I was thinking, too," Kel told him. "I'd just feel a lot better if I knew what was coming, though."

Byrn flew into the room once more, and nothing happened. Neal inched his foot into the room. For the better part of a second, the floor behaved like a normal floor – that is, it supported his foot. After that, he had to grab Kel for support, because the stone turned to liquid and tried to suck him in.

Neal let loose with a string of curses he had learned from his knight-master, and finished with "This complicates things."

Kel didn't answer. She was digging in her pocket. "Do you have anything we can throw in there?" she asked. "To see whether it's just at the beginning, or if it's the whole floor that changes."

Neal stuck his hand into his pocket and came out with a small leaf. He tossed it into the room. Once again, the floor reacted normally for a fraction of a second, and then it turned into liquid. The leaf behaved as if it was on water, floating and slightly revolving on the surface.

And then something ate it.

A huge wave of the floor surged upwards. Kel caught a flash of white fangs and pearly gray scales before it was gone, and the floor became solid once more.

Kel and Neal had grabbed each other when the floor began to move. Now, they both detached from the other while letting loose with more curses than they thought they knew.

"_How,_ in all the god's names, are we _ever_ going to get across?" Kel moaned.

"We run."

Kel looked at him as if he had suddenly grown horns.

He explained. "Did you see how the leaf stayed on solid stone for a short time? And my foot did, too. If we spring across, our feet will only touch the ground for a very short time. We can do it. It's not impossible."

"What about the . . . _thing_ in the floor?" she cried.

Neal shrugged, a grim smile on his face. "We hope we can run faster than it can move. Here – I'll go first, to show you it can be done."

She grabbed him. "Go first? Why can't we both go at the same time?"

"Because if one of us was slower than the other, the floor would go soft, and the slow one would get sucked in."

"But–"

He cut her off, holding up his hand. "Kel, it's the only way across. We have to do this. Now, back up – give me some room to start."

She didn't answer him, only moved off to the side to give him a run up. Byrn flew into the room, and suddenly began to glow brighter, lighting the entire room. Everything was thrown into sharp detail.

Neal gazed at her for a long time, emotion deep in his bright green eyes. Suddenly, without warning, he took off, sprinting into the room.

Kel ran to the door, her breath catching in her throat as she watched him tear across the room. She closed her eyes and swallowed, hard, dreading to hear a pained cry or a sickening crunch or sucking noise.

After twenty or thirty seconds, she opened her eyes, unable to bear having them closed any longer, and Neal was safe on the opposite side, holding his arms above his head to catch his breath.

Kel quelled the joy that rose up inside her — she still had to make it across the room. Staring out across the floor, she gulped. Did the floor just ripple?

Closing her eyes once more, Kel used her Yamani training to settle her heart and mind, forgetting about white fangs and water-floors. Her heart was like the surface of a placid lake . . .

Her body under control, Kel's eyes fluttered open and she watched Neal across the room before she began to sprint.

Her feet pounded against the impossibly solid stone floor, and her breath made almost no noise. Kel began to relax about halfway across the room. This was no different than running on real ground. If she just kept going . . .

The floor thirty feet in front of her writhed and roiled as the fang-creature surfaced. Kel, still sprinting, tried to run around it, but the thing's spiked tail broke the surface just three feet from the wall on the side she was aiming for, leaving her no way to pass it.

So she sprinted sideways, trying to keep track of the solid ground. Panic welled in her throat, and she struggled with it as she tore across the width of the room.

The creature lifted its head from the — water? Floor? — and snapped at her as she passed it. The head went down, and to her horror, Kel heard a sound like water makes when a large creature swims quickly through it. A quick look back confirmed her fears — the creature had begun to pursue her.

__

I can't slow down, not one little bit! Kel thought frantically. The left wall loomed in front of her, and she saw the beast propel itself through the floor . . .

She turned on a dime, sprinting back to the door she had come from, but with everything the same dark gray, she couldn't find the door.

Terrified, Kel turned forward again, toward the door she needed to pass through. The monster had tired of its chase and had settled just ten feet from the door. Kel found Neal, and sprinted for him.

Panting for breath, Kel began to lose her grip on her fear. The time she had spent sprinting started to tell. Horrified, she realized that the ground was beginning to suck at her feet, meaning her steps were slowing down.

Kel shoved the panic down once more and aimed for Neal.

Once again, the tail of the beast flailed on the surface, just where she needed to pass. Kel made a split second decision and headed for the liquid surface around the tail. Taking a flying leap, she hurled herself across, landing on the other side of the tail safely.

She took two steps and tripped.

Falling forward, she felt the stone beneath her left foot turn to liquid, and she began to sink rapidly.

Just as her waist entered the liquid, dragging her down so she would have sunk forever, Neal reached out from his position in the door and grabbed her collar. With a massive heave, he pulled her onto the solid floor in the next corridor. The creature had turned, and now it snapped at her feet.

Kel and Neal lay huddled on the solid stone floor, rocking back and forth. Kel realized that she was sobbing. Neal's arms were tight around her, and he whispered soft nothings into her ears and smoothed her hair.

It took her several minutes to calm down enough to continue. When she finally did, Kel felt acutely embarrassed. But Neal didn't even mention it, saying only, "Let's go have a look at the next room, shall we?" Kel nodded, her eyes silently thanking him.

They turned to face the next room.

****

Whooooooeeeeee! That sure was a doozie. Hehe. I like torturing them.

Do you think that was hard enough? I have the whole next chaper written on notebook paper — all I'm doing is writing it into the computer, which takes time. I broke up chapter 33 into two, so you guys can read it! plus, this is long, and both of them together would have been REALLY long. So yeah. it's a matter of days until the next chapter is up. But isn't it always?

If you want to IM me, I'm always up for it — punkpenguin16, that's who I am.

Love ya'll — Review, peaseasy!


	34. Moving Forward

****

It makes me so happy when you all review so nicely! Especially when I don't want to deal with real people . . . I can just go online and disappear. cyberpals are so much happier than other people.

Urgh. I didn't mean for this chapter to get so graphic. (yes, graphic, and violently, not sexually, sadly enough.)

Hehehe, you know what's cool? I am the only person on the ENTIRE SITE whose name has heartspark in it. hah on you.

Like I said, I already had this written at the end of the last chapter, I just had to change a few things . . . hope you enjoy. READ, KNAVES! READ!

Moving Forward

The next room was another empty cavern, but with a strangely low ceiling.

Kel slid her foot into the room, yet again. Nothing happened.

Neal threw a button from his tunic into the room. It lay unobtrusively on the floor. Nothing happened.

Byrn flew into the room. Nothing happened.

Kel sidled into the room. Nothing happened. Neal followed her out, and they began to cautiously make their way across the room.

They were thirty feet out – already halfway across – before the trap was tripped.

Something burst out of the ground and seized Kel's ankle. She shrieked in shock, and Neal turned at the sound of her voice. "Neal! Watch out!" she cried, but it was too late. Whatever-it-was had gotten ahold of his upper leg, and he shouted in surprise.

Kel kicked her foot, trying to break the grip while still keeping her balance, but failed and fell over. Three more things – were they tree roots? – came bursting out of the ceiling, reaching down for her. The closest one clutched at her left arm, holding it immobile.

With a cry of rage, Kel heaved her sword out of its sheath and began to back all around her. She found that they were, in fact, roots of some kind. "Neal!" she cried again. "Your sword!" Neal grabbed his sword and started chopping at the roots holding him captive. Byrn floated helplessly above the ground.

Six more roots came erupted from floor and ceiling. One wrenched at her right arm, almost pulling it out of its socket. The arm stayed put, but she dropped her sword. One from the ground twined upwards, up her leg and around her waist. Another draped around her neck.

Slowly, the roots began to apply pressure. More roots wove their way around her frame, squeezing tight. Kel's whole body was being squeezed out of place, and she could just see that the same was happening to Neal.

Byrn swooped down, landing on the root across Kel's shoulder, and tried to peck at the root blocking her airway. A root detached itself from the mess and headed for the phoenix, but the immortal took flight, again watching, unable to do anything.

Kel fought to breathe. Blackness began to take over her vision, moving inwards from the outside. For the first time in her life, Kel gave in, stopped fighting.

Byrn _screeched_, a noise Kel had never heard her make. The phoenix raised her wings, and the room erupted in flames.

Fire came from everywhere, growing on everything, feeding on the tree roots that attacked the two Tortallans. There was nothing in the room but the hungry flames. And yet neither Kel nor Neal felt any sort of heat. But the roots did.

They immediately began to withdraw, almost shrieking with pain as they whipped back into the ceiling and floor. In less than ten seconds, Kel and Neal were alone in the flaming room.

Byrn screeched again, and the flames were gone.

"That was fun," gasped Neal.

Suddenly, and she didn't know why, Kel just exploded. All the frustration, all the confusion, all the fear and worry and anger and pain just melted together into one huge ball of emotion.

Kel snapped to her feet, scooping up her sword as she did so. She didn't see Neal's look of worry or hear Byrn whistle after her – she was intent on the door.

Sprinting out of the room, she skidded to a halt inside the next one, just scant feet from the exit. This room was _exactly_ like the last two – absolutely nothing inside.

Kel screamed her rage, and a man appeared barely a foot in front of her. He was wearing armor and had a giant battleaxe, and he looked like he meant business.

"I am the Protector of the Six," he bellowed. "You shall not –"

Kel cut off his head.

Blood surged out of the neck-stump and cascaded onto the floor. The head rolled off to the left. The headless corpse fell to its knees and backwards.

All the emotion suddenly left Kel, leaving her a dry husk holding a bloody sword in the middle of a sea of red. She wavered, and almost fell, which would have been decidedly filthy in such a position.

Neal came up from behind her, putting his hand on her waist and steadying her. He eyed the dead body, and murmured, "Nice work, love, but for my peace of mind, please make sure it isn't another crossbow room the next time you do that."

Kel nodded, exhausted. Leaning on him, they walked out of the room, leaving the Protector behind them.

The next room was scarcely ten yards away. They halted outside the doorway.

Just inside the round room was a round pedestal, with a small grubby stone on a plain pillow.

"Is that –" Kel stopped, unable to continue.

They walked reverently into the room. A light, seemingly from nowhere, shone directly onto the platform. No traps sprung at them.

Neal motioned forward. "Go get it!"

"Me?" Kel said, surprised.

"Yes, you! This is _your_ quest. The gods sought _you_ out. They sent _you_ here. _You_ got us through most of the journey. _You_ go get it."

Unable to compete with his flow of words, Kel made the first move to retrieve the stone. She walked four steps forward, stopping just in front of the pedestal. Solemnly, she lifted the stone from the cushion.

Blue fire erupted in a full circle, all around the circular room. Kel whirled around, her eyes wide, while Neal drew his sword, holding it warily as he shifted position.

Nine men materialized before them, arranged in a V formation with the point aiming at the two knights.

"You _dare_ to take what the gods possess!" thundered the foremost man. "And now you shall _die _for your mistake!"

He raised his arms to the ceiling as if in worship, but instead, two spears appeared in both his hands. The man hurled them with deadly accuracy.

Kel felt a white heat rush through her body, starting from her stomach. Looking down with horror, she saw the back end of a spear protruding from her body. She pulled it out. Blood surged down her front.

Kel fell to her knees, and toppled forward.

Her eyes ended up on Neal. He was struggling with a spear that transfixed his middle. He slowly stopped trying to pull it out, and fell to the side.

His eyes locked with hers, and then black nothingness overwhelmed her vision as she swirled into nightmares.

****

Whoops! Did I write that? Yes, I did, and yes, you'll have to wait to find out what the hell is going on! but no fear — it's the weekend tomorrow, meaning I'll have time to write — let's hope. Until then, I bid you adieu!


	35. A Meeting

****

Wow. Had no idea everyone would be so mad. Hehe! I know, I'm possessed. But not really, because I wrote another chapter! be happy! Er . . . they're still dead, though. *ducks sharp pointy objects being thrown at her* sorry! Sorry!

Ooooooers! Twenty-five reviews for chappie thirty-five!! (vingt-cinq, dontcha know) that's a new record. Now beat it! *sung to the michael jackson tune, of course* JUST BEAT THE RECORD! Go read! Go!

A Meeting

Kel opened her eyes.

She looked down and gasped. The floor was twenty feet below her, the pedestal in the middle marking it as the last room she remembered being in. She was hovering just below the ceiling, her and Neal's bodies clearly visible, spread-eagled on the ground.

Kel began to rise. She floated upwards, going unhindered through the ceiling, as if thousands of tons of rock were nonexistent. Kel gasped again, and then once more, because she realized that she hadn't taken a breath, or needed to breathe, since she opened her eyes.

Kel was now floating upwards though the ground, seeing dirt and rocks and roots, and then she was free of the earth, and above Greencroft. The village, and the Scanrans who had taken it over, were still entirely unaware of Kel and Neal's escapades underground.

The ground continued to fall away below her, faster and faster, though she didn't feel like she was moving any quicker than she was originally. Kel turned her face down and watched her life disappear. As she did, she noticed that she was still holding the death weapon – the armored figure's spear. She gripped it tighter, feeling a sense of relief while she held a weapon.

She suddenly choked, her throat catching. _I'm dead, and I'm worrying about weapons!_ Kel felt like both crying and laughing.

Kel closed her eyes, trying to get her emotions under control so she'd be ready for whatever came next. When she opened them, she had halted her upwards journey.

In front of her was a gateway, hanging in a sea of blackness. Through the gate, Kel saw the river at Mindelan. A sense of calmness penetrated her, and she took one step forward.

Her grandparents, dead for ten years, appeared in the doorway. Smiling, they motioned her to join them. People she had known and liked as a page and squire became visible, waving her forward to join them. Kel took another step forward.

With a grating jerk, Kel was inexorably drawn upwards once again. Her friends' faces changed expression to sadness, and instead of welcoming her, they pushed her away.

"No!" Kel cried despairingly, her heart wrenching in her chest. Her voice sank into the smothering blackness, not unlike the sound in a room full of blankets. Kel felt suffocated.

The knight looked upward yet again and saw a great bright light. She was moving faster a second time, and the light expanded, flashing with a dazzling vibrancy. Kel raised her arms with a cry, shielding her eyes against the radiance.

Her upper body flew forward with the momentum as her movement, but her lower body ground to a standstill. Cautiously, Kel lowered her hands, and was astounded at what she saw.

Before her stood the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, or would ever see. The woman had perfect white skin, contrasting with her slanting emerald eyes and full ruby red lips. Her black hair shone like a raven's wing, falling unbound to her waist. She was taller than any woman Kel had ever seen. 

With a start, Kel realized she was looking at the Great Mother Goddess. Kel tried to bow, only to lose her balance and almost fall. _This can't be happening_, she thought.

The Goddess inclined her head, a small smile playing about her lips.

"Wha—" Kel began faintly, but she couldn't find the energy to finish her sentence.

"Don't try and understand it, my daughter," the Mother said. Her voice was husky and soft, like the wind through the trees, but also like a pack of hounds baying in the hunt. "Just know that this is but one of the last places you must visit on your quest."

"Bu—But my quest is _over_," Kel stuttered, blinking hard. "The Sixth is _gone_, or did you not think I noticed that it vanished as soon as those men appeared? And besides, I – I'm _dead._"

"All of that is true," answered the Goddess, looking at her with amusement. "But you may yet return, and conclude what you set out to accomplish."  
"_Wha_–" Kel cried out again. "How?"

The Mother ignored her, instead peering intently at the spear Kel still clutched. "It is well that you held onto that weapon," she said finally. "It brought you here, to me, rather than to the Realms of the Dead."

Kel felt faint. "How?" she repeated weakly, unable to really comprehend what was happening.

"It serves as a kind of . . . summons. It shows that you are of worth to have made it to the final chamber in my labyrinth. That takes strength, both physical and mental."

"But — why? Why do you need to summon souls to you?" Kel asked hesitantly.

"It's a final precaution before one on the search for the Six is allowed to possess all of them. It insures that the 'right one,' so to speak, is the one who succeeds in gaining the Six. And I know at a glance whether a person are the right one."

"And—" Kel choked. She cleared her throat. "And am I— am I—" She couldn't finish.

The Mother looked at her with a compassionate, yet piercing gaze. Her eyes bored holes in Kel's head. "You are," she said quietly.

Kel's head spun. "So — so what now?" she asked, barely audible.

"I will return you to life," said the Goddess with a smile. She raised her hand.

"Wait!" Kel cried, blushing at her boldness. The Goddess paused. "What about Neal?" Kel asked purposefully.

"Neal?" The Mother's perfect forehead creased in a delicate frown. "I do not know who you speak of."

"The man who was with me — Sir Nealan of Queenscove. Where did he go? Where _will_ he go now?"

The Goddess' frown deepened, and she concentrated. She spoke several seconds later. "He is with his kin, in the Realms of the Dead."

Kel began to shake. "Is he— Is he coming back?"

"I wasn't planning on it. He wasn't summoned to me; why does he deserve to live? What is he to you?"

"Well, I sort of . . . you know . . . love him." Kel said. The immortal didn't respond. "And . . . I won't go back unless he comes with me," she added.

The Great Mother Goddess, daughter of Mother Flame and Father Universe, brother to the Sun God Mithros, and High Queen of all Mortal Realms studied Kel for a long time. When she spoke, she spoke slowly, her voice and face as unreadable as always.

"You would stay in the Realms of the Dead, forsaking your family, your friends, and the well-being of your country, to be with the man you love?"

Kel opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She swallowed, fully aware of what she was about to do, and answered. "I would." Her voice came out strong.

There was another long silence until the Goddess spoke once more. "Very well," she said sadly. Kel's throat clogged, and she closed her eyes to hold back tears of loss. "I will return both you and Sir Nealan to the Mortal Realms."

Kel's eyes popped open, and she stared in disbelief at the smiling Goddess before her. "Thank you," she whispered, overcome.

"Enough of this," said the Goddess, waving her hand. "You must get going. There is no time to lose." Even after she said that, she paused and looked at Kel. "Goodbye, Lady Knight Keladry. We will not meet again in your lifetime, I'm almost certain. Now, return to the Mortal Realms, and finish what you set out to accomplish!"

And Kel was falling. The wind whistled past ears that still rung with the Goddess's voice as she picked up speed, and the smothering blackness fell away in five seconds, the expanse between the world and the sky in three, and then she was freefalling through clouds, and the clouds were gone but she still fell downwards, and she looked down as she dropped and saw the ground rise up to meet her but instead of an impact she fell right through the dirt and she realized was coming up on the Chamber that she died in but then she saw her own dead body for a split second as she hurtled downwards before she opened her eyes.

The dark gray stone ceiling loomed over her. Kel felt her chest rise and fall as she breathed, and rejoiced in the movement, drawing in deep breaths of clean, sweet air.

She sat up.

Byrn was lying on the floor in front of Kel, huddled in a little quivering ball of feathers and keening at the top of her lungs.

"Hey there," said Kel, her voice raspy with disuse.  
The immortal raised her head in a second, and saw Kel moving and alive again. She released a piercing, trilling whistle and hurtled through the air to the knight's shoulder. Byrn landed on her shoulder and immediately began to preen her hair.

Kel heard a noise beside her and started to turn, but Byrn took flight, startling her, and before she could do anything Neal was there.

He flipped her over and kissed her again and again. "How could you do that?" he shouted, and kissed her again.

Kel kissed him back, her body tingling. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried tearfully, for she was crying yet again.

"Shut up!" Neal cried, effectively silencing her with more kisses. "Don't you ever, _ever_, leave me behind again!" Kiss. "Do you understand?" Kiss. "_Never_!" Kisskisskiss . . .

"I know, I know," Kel wailed, pulling herself back to his lips and sobbing at the same time. A drop landed on her finger, and she realized that he was crying, too.

Kel's hands were on either side of his face, and now she moved them all around his body — his back, arms, chest, neck — as if checking to make sure he was actually back, and in one piece. He was doing the same to her, and they lost themselves and fell into each other. They sat on the floor, reveling in each other and in being alive.

It was some time before they had calmed down enough to carry on a normal conversation.

"You'll never believe—" Kel began, but Neal interrupted her.

"I know already — don't ask me how. It just sort of appeared in my head. I don't care how I know, anyway — it saves time because we don't have to explain. And we don't have any time to lose, because we still don't know how to find the Sixth!"

Byrn, whom they had both forgotten about in their encounter on the floor, let out a sharp chirp. Both Kel and Neal's heads snapped to where the sound had come from, and saw that Byrn had perched on the vacant pedestal.

Except it wasn't vacant any more.

A small stone glinted next to the immortal's silver claws, gleaming mildly in the light that still shone only on the pedestal.

Kel stared. Neal was saying something, but all Kel heard was a white static noise. The stone lay unobtrusively in the small hollow of the cushion.

Kel thought on this for perhaps three seconds before standing up decisively. She strode towards the pedestal and plucked the stone from its place, ignoring Neal's cry of alarm.

Nothing happened.

She held the stone up before her eyes, noticing a runic six gleaming unnaturally in the dim light. Kel felt a movement by her elbow, and realized that Neal had come to stand with her. Neither of them spoke, enthralled by the beauty and splendor of the stone.

They had succeeded. They held all Six of the Stones.

Kel placed the Sixth in her belt pouch, along with the other Five. As soon as they touched, they flashed once, as if in welcome, and then fell dark once again.

A long, animalistic wail pierced the walls of the chamber. It was high pitched and shrill, and made the hair on the back of Kel's neck stand on end. She shivered, unconsciously drawing closer to Neal.

Byrn added to the inhuman sound with her own shrill voice, trying to drown it out, but instead creating an even more frightful din. Kel clapped her hands over her ears, but nothing blocked the dreadful noise.

Gradually, the earsplitting whistle faded into oblivion. Neal turned to Kel. "How much are you willing to bet that _that_ was Ichaeruut?"

Kel shook her head. "No gambling – I'm positive. Goddess knows how he could tell, but– It doesn't matter. We have to go on. Remember how he said only two days were left before Corus fell? How much time do you think has passed since then?"

"I've no idea. It all depends on how long we were–" He swallowed. "Dead. How long we were dead."

"Well, I don't want to take any more chances than we already are. Let's go." She ran towards the door.

"Wait!" Neal called. Kel didn't stop. "How are we going to get past the booby traps?"

"We'll figure that out when we–"

She walked through the door and found herself facing the ladder leading out of the labyrinth. "Get there," she finished, bemused.

Neal burst into the air behind her, followed by Byrn. "I _told_ you! Never leave me behind again! And what do you do? You run off and disappear!" he shouted wildly, and finished by kissing her thoroughly. He finally looked around and realized where they were. "How–" he began, puzzled.

"Oh, I have my theories," said Kel, looking up.

Neal understood. "Ah. Well, then – Let's be off."

They climbed the ladder. The power to save Tortall was contained in a leather pouch. The forces of Chaos were likely hunting them down by the second. The capital was going to fall in less than twenty-four hours.

And strangely, they felt fine.

****

Yay! Happy chapter ending!

So? What did you think?? I want to hit 445 reviews, people! HELP ME REACH MY GOAL!

I'd make this longer, but . . . CAMI! This is for you!


	36. Falling Flame

****

GAH! GAH! THIS TOOK SOOOOOOOO LONG TO WRITE! GAH! I'M SORRY!

GAH! GAH! I HAVE MUTILATED MY HAIR! *sobs for hours* I tried to make myself have little wispy thingerbobbers and I ended up with BANGS! GAH!

Okay, let me explain myself before you go on believing I suddenly mutated into a bad writer. I wrote that sentence (come on, people, you know which one - and if you don't, it's the "falling" sentence) wait, lost my place. Okay. I wrote that sentence like that so that you (were supposed to) receive a sense of everything moving too quickly, i.e. running together. Everything is going too fast for Kel to comprehend it, and therefore her brain is working overtime trying to figure it out. HOWEVER, due to the number of complaints I have thrown this idea out the window and plan on uploading a new, readable version of that sentence sometime in the future. Just thought you might like to know.

Wow. I just read the absolute worst story in the history of bad stories. And yes, it was posted. I'm not going to say anything else (in order to protect the crappy writers of the world), but I will say THIS: she/he/it has not reviewed my story, so all you who are reading this, you are safe. Unless you are reading and not reviewing . . . 

Hah. I am watching James Bond. He's really cool. Hah. *sobs* MY HAIR!

Righto, then, chappies. Let's go. Long chapter.

Be happy.

Falling Flame

Kel kept climbing upwards out of the labyrinth, placing one hand on top of the other and attempting not to think about everything that could go wrong. Of course, seeing how these things go, the possibilities of problems occurring was the only thing she could think about -- Ichaeruut finding them, not getting to Corus in time, getting killed.

__

Stop it, she told herself fiercely, and succeeded in shoving those thoughts to the back of her head.

With Byrn floating below Neal, Kel was climbing in blackness. Therefore, as she climbed she rammed her head into the base of the statue, instead of seeing it and stopping her ascent. "Ow!" she cried, rubbing her head.

"What's wrong?" came Neal's worried voice from below her. "Is everything okay? What happened?"

"Everything's fine, Neal," she called down. "I just hit my head on the base of the statue. Byrn, could you get up here?"

With an agreeable whistle, the phoenix rose to join her at the top of the stairs. Kel inspected the lid of the bottom of the statue, and saw no levers or buttons. There were no chinks that she could use to pry it open.

Remembering how the door had originally opened, Kel checked her belt pouch, and sure enough, the Stones were radiating a faint heat she hadn't noticed. She unhooked the pouch from her belt and with one hand raised it to the base of the statue. Once again, all Six flashed once, and the statue base slid backwards, as silent as an owl.

Byrn shot out of the hole as Kel clambered up behind her. Turning, Kel helped Neal onto solid ground. When all three were out of the passage, the statue slid back over the hole, hiding it once more from mortal eyes.

A tight knot in Kel's chest relaxed. She smiled wryly -- she hadn't even noticed she was nervous until she wasn't nervous anymore. Tensed muscles relaxed; her heart slowed down a notch. She straightened, and took in a deep breath. "It's _wonderful_ to be on _top_ of the ground again.

Neal rushed past her, grabbing her hand and dragging her along with him. "Yes, I agree, it is lovely to be above ground, but in case you've forgotten, we're in the middle of a Scanran _war camp_! Let's _go_!"

"Right," Kel said as she ran behind him.

The sun was high in the sky, alerting Kel and Neal that it was already mid-afternoon. They quickly reached the gates of Greencroft, and spotted Peachblossom and Topaz tethered along the walls. Kel and Neal bent close to the ground and began to untie them.

Suddenly, twenty torches flared into life in a circle around them, revealing half again as many Scanrans as a shielding spell was dropped. Chuckling sinisterly, an officer stepped forward, flanked by two other officers. "_Ainoikx_, who did you say you were? Milords Rachni and Tyslt?" Speechless, neither Tortallan answered, and the man continued. "Well, Milords Rachni and Tyslt arrived just _inqbdbieie_ ago. So who _baobndpx_ that make you?"

Grinning, the Scanran drew his sword and advanced, as the others, following his lead, drew the circle closer.

Kel's thoughts raced. It was thirty Scanrans to the two of them, impossible odds. The only option was to run.

"Neal, _mount_!" she shouted, and swung into Peachblossom's saddle as the Scanrans began to charge. Half in the saddle, she clumsily drew her sword and parried the officer's first blow. "Peachblossom, get us out of here!" she cried, chopping deeply into the man's shoulder. Peachblossom lurched beneath her, and Kel gripped tight with her knees to keep from falling as he took off, away from the attacking Scanrans. Byrn hovered helplessly above the fray.

Kel rode hard, out of the gate and into the open meadows that surrounded Greencroft. She continued for almost fifteen seconds before she realized she was alone. Cursing as she wheeled Peachblossom around, she looked for him in the flurry of motion that was the Scanran camp.

He was mounted, and holding his own against three Scanrans. _Why isn't he coming_? she asked herself, than discovered the answer. One of his attackers had grabbed Topaz's reins during the attack, and had been killed by Neal. He had fallen at such an angle that he still held fast to Topaz, not allowing her and her rider to leave.

Kel hefted her sword above her head and directed herself towards the melee. She closed in faster than she had escaped.

"Kel!" Neal cried when he saw her. "What are you doing? Get out of here, go!"

"No!" she grunted, trying to lift the dead man. "I won't leave you!"

"You _must_ go! Watch your left!"

Kel whirled to the side, her blade held neck high. A Scanran's head went rolling, blood fountaining from his stump of a neck and covering her.

She shook her head, wet trickles of blood running down her face, and turned grimly to the task at hand.

Kel saw what was wrong. When he died, the man had let go of Topaz's reins, but had fallen in such a way that his arm went inside of them, holding them -- and Topaz's head -- down. Kel saw that there was no way she would be able to move him without dismounting, so she cut off his arm. The dead man fell to the ground with a hollow thunk.

"Go, Neal!" Kel cried. "Mount!" She cut crosswise into an attacker's face and galloped out the gate, neglecting to watch as his nose flew to the ground and blood streamed down disconnected cheeks. Neal swung into his saddle and spurred Topaz to a gallop, following Kel by twenty feet.

Kel, out of the village once more, heard a rapid creaking sound behind her. Sick with fear, she wheeled Peachblossom and faced the gate.

The closed gate.

Neal was nowhere to be seen.

"Gods all damn you!" she cried, her emotion getting the better of her. Frantically, she scanned the village wall for any sign of movement, hearing voices raised in confusion inside.

Suddenly, a flash of fire spewed twenty feet high, higher than the walls by at least seven or eight feet. Voices raised in agony, and against a background of flames, Kel saw the silhouette of a horse and rider jump the wall, followed by a small bird.

Neal hurtled up, gasping. "Silly bastards left the grain shed next to the wall. We jumped atop that, and jumped the fence."

Byrn landed jerkily on Kel's shoulder. Worried, the lady knight turned her head, and was frightened by what she saw.

The immortal, usually laden with rows and rivulets of bright orange fire, now glowed with the light of an ember. Golden eyes closed, the phoenix swayed slightly on her steady perch. She breathed in wheezes, her breath brushing against Kel's ear with an alarmingly soft touch.

"What's wrong with her?" Kel asked, voice higher than normal. "She isn't – she can't be – she's an _immortal_!"

"I know," Neal answered, worried as well. "But immortals can exhaust themselves with their magic, just as humans can. That last blast must have drained her."

With a feeble trill, Byrn fell off Kel's shoulder. Quick reactions saved her a fall; Neal's hand shot out from his side as he caught the bird in one broad palm.

They stared at her.

Behind them, the village doors swung open, revealing a score of Scanran warriors armed to the teeth and galloping at full force.

Neal swore eloquently as he tucked the immortal inside his shirt and kicked Topaz into a gallop, Kel right beside him. They took off, heading for the thick forest a mile or so away.

Kel chanced a glance behind her, and swallowed hard. The Scanrans pursued them diligently, perhaps thirty seconds behind. They weren't gaining, but neither were they falling back. Kel turned forward again and leaned close to Peachblossom's mane.

Three arrows whistled past them, dangerously close. "Gods all damn!" Neal cried, cradling Byrn with one arm. "They've got bows!" Six more arrows flew by.

"Thank Mithros they can't aim," Kel commented, her breath sounding calmer than she really was.

It seemed as if they spent an eternity riding for their lives. Kel and Neal pushed their mounts harder, feeling muscles bunch under their legs and carry them to safety. Shrieking arrows, a Scanran invention, thudded into the ground erratically, in a more or less constant rain. But the treeline seemed miles off, and it began to appear like they'd never reach relative safety.

Suddenly, they reached the trees. Kel pulled Peachblossom up short. "We can't keep running," she said, gasping.

"I know," Neal said reining in Topaz.

"If we keep going, they'll catch up."

"I know."

"So let's fight."

Neal nodded. Pulling Byrn out of his shirt, he placed her on the highest branch he could reach. The phoenix shivered, eyes closed. Both knights dismounted.

Neal pushed on to other things, unstrapping his bow and quiver, making sure his throwing knives were ready, and readying his sheathed sword for action. Kel gripped her bow so tightly her knuckles grew white, and made sure her throwing stars, axe and sword were all ready for action. 

They heard a Scanran speak outside the trees, and for the first time, understood all of what he said. "Dismount! They are hiding in the forest. We know this forest back to front. There is no escape. Remember what Ichaeruut said: we must bring back every item they possess!"

Kel looked at Neal and gulped. Ichaeruut was behind the Scanrans as well. She turned her attention back to the words of the leader.

"–aren't needed, so kill them. Now go! Search, and find!" The Scanrans bounded into the forest and faced the two coldest eyes they ever hoped to see, staring straight at them.

Two Scanrans went down first thing, one with Neal's arrow in his eye, the other with a Yamani throwing star protruding from his skull.

Eighteen left.

Neal's next arrow hit an attacker in his thigh. Gritting his teeth, the Scanran pulled it out. Blood cascaded down his leg but he took no notice. Kel's star was aimed directly for a Scanran head, but he ducked, and behind him, a man went down. Neal hurled one of his daggers, but it clanged off hastily raised shields.

"We're in trouble," Neal muttered.

"First rank! Bows up!"

"Who taught them to fight organized?" Neal wailed. Eight arrows pointed through the slits between shields.

"Neal! Wall, now!" Kel yelled. Neal threw up his hands and muttered a spell. Dark green fire flared around them as eight arrows hit his protective wall and incinerated.

"Switch!"

One of the shield bearers turned his head to ask a question, and Kel aimed at the split second opening. She hurled a throwing star and was rewarded with a gurgling scream. The man fell, leaving an opening where his shield used to be, and two bowmen went down: one with a knife in his chest, the other with a star in his neck. The hole in the ranks was closed before they could get off another shot.

Fourteen men left.

"Second rank, fire!"

Six arrows hurtled towards them, burning up as Neal raised his protective wall again.

"This will never work!" Kel shouted. "They'll just keep shooting at us forever!" Her sharp eyes picked out a movement in the trees off to the side; Byrn had raised her head. She opened her beak.

"Byrn, _no_!" Kel shrieked, but it was too late.

A piercing whistle came from the bird, and all the Scanran bows burst into flames. Unfortunately, so did the Tortallan bows. All eight bows were dropped hastily. No one noticed a little orange bird fall onto the ground under a tree.

"Draw swords!"

"Can you get that guy?" Kel muttered to her comrade.

"I don't think so," Neal answered. "He's hiding behind his soldiers. It'll be impossible to get to him."

"That's what I thought," Kel replied grimly, making sure her sword was ready. Beside her, Neal did the same.

"Attack!" cried the leader, and thirteen men surged to meet two. 

The closest man to Kel came at her at an awkward angle, making it hard for her to use her sword. Instead, Kel snatched two arrows from her quiver, punched them through his throat and yanked them out again. She ignored the twin spurts of blood that shot out from where his arterial tube was punctured, and jabbed the used and bloody arrows into the next man's eyes, dropping them as he fell.

Neal sliced deeply across an unprotected chest, and the man fell quickly, leaving Neal time to parry another soldier's thrust. He then attacked, but was blocked, and the Scanran thrust again, coming hilt to hilt with Neal's blade.

The Tortallan knight quickly freed his right hand from the blade and punched the Scanran. The heel of Neal's palm shoved splinters of a broken nose into the man's brain, killing him instantly. The attacker dropped like a stone.

Ten left.

Kel was fighting two at once, whirling back and forth and trying to keep sight of two blades. Sweat dripped down the side of her face, worrying her – what if it dripped into her eyes?

One of the men left a split second opening, and Kel slid her blade up to slice across his neck, cutting his windpipe. The man fell, gurgling as he died.

Kel's attack had left her vulnerable, and the wave of red hot pain that raced up her arm told her she was wounded. Gritting her teeth, Kel heaved a mighty blow at chest height and cut into her attacker's side, and he fell too.

Neal spun to meet his next assailant, making sure his back was against a tree. The Scanran swung a powerful blow at Neal's head, but he ducked, and the blade cut deeply into the tree. As his attacker struggled to pull it free, Neal ran him through. The man fell, but Neal's blade was stuck, and fell with the Scanran.

Swearing, Neal pushed back his hair and grabbed two daggers from their armpit sheaths. He blocked the next man's thrust on crossed hilts, biting his lip as his pinky finger slipped along his enemy's blade. The Scanran drew back and lunged again, driving his blade towards Neal's heart.

Neal slipped sideways, so his attacker's sword flew past him. Flipping a dagger over, Neal rapped the man on his knuckles, breaking several fingers and making him drop the sword. Neal grabbed the hilt in midair, twisted it around, and stabbed downwards through the man's chest.

Fiery pain streaked across Neal's temple. Unthinkingly, he raised a hand to check the damage and was stabbed through his palm. The stabber twisted the blade, and Neal screamed in agony. The blade withdrew, and Neal cradled his wounded hand, whirling his blade in a protective pattern to keep enemies away.

Kel had lost track of what she was doing. She blocked and thrust and stabbed and parried without a thought, not knowing whether she was killing or being killed. Time moved in waves; was it midnight, noon, somewhere in between? She cut down another Scanran, and readied herself for the next blow.

None came.

Wobbling, Kel focused her eyes. There was nothing around her but dead Scanrans. Looking farther, she saw Neal was backed up against a tree, fending off three assailants. She staggered over and stabbed them in the back, all three, so fast they had no time to react.

Neal looked up, as bone weary as she was, dropping his sword. A long, ugly cut bled sluggishly down the right side of his face. His eyes flickered over her shoulder, and he grabbed for a dagger. Neal hurled it past her left ear, the wind from its passage brushing her cheek.

Kel heard a grunt, and turned around. The Scanran leader slumped to the ground, Neal's dagger in his back.

"He tried to run," Neal explained, gasping with pain.

"Are you–" Kel began, but Neal shook his head.

"Not now. I have to–" He broke off, bending over his left hand. His Gift streamed from his finger, dark green flickers flying to cover his wounded hand. Kel turned away, feeling sick. Before he had hidden his hand, Kel had seen a mass of clotted blood, cut flesh and severed tendons.

Kel wandered around for a quarter hour, pulling her throwing stars out of dead bodies and cleaning them, readying the horses, binding her wound. Even though Neal could probably have healed it, she didn't want to tire him out — he'd be even wearier after healing his mangled hand.

She walked over to a Scanran slumped next to a tree. Eyeing him distastefully, Kel bent over, grabbing the throwing star that protruded from his forehead. Grunting slightly, she attempted to pull it out -- to no avail. She stepped back from the corpse, thinking. Throwing stars were few and far between in Tortall, especially in a time of war. And these were stars that were made in the Yamani Islands — even more valuable. She couldn't just leave it here to rot. 

Walking behind the body, Kel looked for something to pry the star out with. She bent close to the ground, hoping to find a stick or a rock of some sort.

Instead, she found Byrn.

Kel gasped and scooped the phoenix into her arms, cradling her close. The small rivulets of fire were all but gone, remaining in just the trickle of flame before a candle goes out. "You can't— You can't—" Kel gasped, bending over the immortal. Byrn shivered, didn't open her eyes, didn't shift position. Kel looked into the sky. "Oh, gods, don't do this! You can't do this right now!"

The worst part for Kel wasn't that the phoenix was dying — it was that she couldn't do anything to stop it from happening.

Using the torn part of her shirt, Kel created a sling that allowed her to use both arms while still carrying the swiftly fading bird close to her body. She then located a stick and used it to pry the star from the Scanran's skull. Wiping it grimly on his clothes, she made her way back to the horses.

Neal walked over, looking the better for the time he spent recovering. Wordlessly, Kel opened her outer shirt and showed him the immortal. Neal shook his head, sadness in his eyes. "I know. I saw. But there's nothing we can do. Mortal healing powers don't work on immortals. But they work on mortals."

He placed a mended left hand on Kel's forehead, closing his eyes. Inside her head, Kel saw a burst of evergreen magic, followed by a coolness that flowed through her, restoring her hurts and her energy.

The stream of Neal's Gift slowed, than stopped. He removed his hand from her forehead and kissed her sweetly. "Let's get going. Today is the day that Corus will fall, and it's already—" He looked up. "Two in the afternoon, or even three. And it's a four-hour ride to Corus."

He swung up into the saddle. Kel did the same, being careful not to jostle her small and rapidly dimming passenger. The two Tortallan knights set off at a brisk trot for Corus, and an end to their quest.

****

Wow. I must say, this story took a twist I didn't expect. I forgot one important detail. But now I have remembered it, so never fear!

You are all awesome! I love you all! You reviewed so much! Yay! Do it again, and I'll be happier and I'll write faster!


	37. Fire's Flight and White Legions

****

Ya know what I really like? I really like cheese.

Wow. Omigodomigodomigod. This is – AHHHHHH! SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES, SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES! WHEN YOU WRITE omigodomigodomigod DOM IS IN THE MIDDLE! AHHHH! AHHHH! AHHHH! THE GOVERNMENT IS EVERYWHERE! *looks furtively around*

Woooooooo. Who can tell that KATE'S GOING SPASTIC?!?! I CAN, I CAN! I feel like maddy. (hehehe, no offense, dude! You know I love ya!)

In any case, what I was GOING to say before the whole "subliminal messages" thing was, this is the last chapter. so enjoy it. I hope it's worth thirty-six chapters.

Holy SHITE! This story is 37 chapters long!

Sorry, just kind of just realized that.

Oh, but there's still an epilogue. So be happy!

Urgh. Also just realized that a small part of this chapter reeks of "Lassie." I apologize.

All right. Last chapter. Long chapter. Love the chapter!

****

Fire's Flight and White Legions

Kel and Neal rode for two hours at a quick trot. They rested their mounts often, usually by stopping for several minutes or dismounting and walking for a short while. After those two hours and a mutual decision, they sprung their horses, galloping towards Corus. After all, after tonight there would be no Corus unless they reached the capital in time.

They had been galloping for just over twenty minutes before running into a Carthaki squad on patrol in the woods outside an occupied village. The ten men, plus a captain, were not very skilled - later, the two Tortallans would realize that they were probably mercenaries, swords for hire - and the result was a brief skirmish. It took next to no time to finish them off, and Kel and Neal turned their mounts' heads again towards Corus, leaving eleven dead bodies behind them.

It was perhaps only twenty minutes after their skirmish that they met another foe. And this one wasn't to be rid of so easily. He appeared on the path only ten yards ahead of the galloping horses, causing both of them to spook and rear, nearly bucking both riders. It took both of them a few seconds to calm their mounts before turning their attention to the man in front of them.

Kel bit her lip and swallowed a gasp. Neal's jaw dropped. Ichaeruut smiled.

Kel managed a sneer. "I should have thought we'd run into you," she spat out, voice dripping with venom. Her mind was racing; was there any possible way for her to get her bow up and readied before he noticed?

Neal was far ahead of her. He swung his bow into the air with his arrow already nocked. He loosed it at the prime point in his motion. The arrow sailed cleanly through Ichaeruut's head, who ignored it.

"Not _thought_, Lady Knight Keladry. Expected. Perhaps even anticipated. And you, Sir Nealan - did you really believe I'd reveal myself to you in person?" drawled the Realm of Chaos's second in command.

"One can always hope," Neal shot back, voice hard.

"Not when one is dealing with Chaos, mortal. There is no hope. Only knowledge of what will come. What _must_ come. And no one can halt that progression. Not you, not your friends, not even that pathetic excuse for a bird you have hidden there."

"Why are you here?" Kel cried, arms drawn protectively over Byrn.

"Patience, my dear Keladry, is a virtue. One you should cultivate."

"I'm not your _dear_, you filth-sucking scum!"

Ichaeruut raised his eyebrows. "Tsk, tsk. Do you kiss your grandmother with that mouth? And we shall see about that, in any case," he answered lightly. "In the meantime, I just wanted to let you know that I will be waiting for you when you reach the city. Due to a slight error by one of my underlings, I was led incorrectly and therefore allowed you to possess the Six. This was a setback I had not anticipated." He snapped his fingers, and a barely recognizable human corpse appeared. Kel stifled the urge to gag, and closed her eyes against the sight. "As you can see, that man is no longer among the living. But his error grows into a more pressing matter by the minute." Ichaeruut's voice hardened and grew louder, reverberating with power. "As I'm sure you know. You shall soon join him, in the Realms of those that even the Black God forsakes! I await seeing your corpses strung out on your _precious_ Palace walls! So go ahead, look forward to reaching your city walls, and your deaths! If you were smart, you would run from disaster, but instead you call it to you, hastening the bringing of your own lengthy pain. I can't wait to greet you!" His last words were a shriek, and he vanished with a loud bang.

For the first time, Kel felt doubtful. If Ichaeruut was right, than Corus had already fallen. What was the point of sacrificing themselves for a country in ruins? They could run away, use the Six to make a new life. Why should they run towards an early death when they had the power to control empires?

"Kel," Neal gasped. He seemed to be fighting to get the words out. "Don't let him . . . twist . . . thoughts . . ."

She almost missed hearing him. Her brain rattled with selfish thoughts, ideas and plans for escape from Tortall. _Who cares if they're dead or captured, any of them?_ she thought bitterly. _I'm still alive. They don't deserve my help. If they were stupid enough to be caught, that's their own fault. I should leave them to deal with the consequences of faulty actions._

Even as such thoughts ricocheted through her mind, one small part of her kept her back, stayed her body from action. That part called to her through her haze of sudden doubts and worries.

Suddenly, Kel found herself in the eye in the center of the storm inside her. She rested there, in her inner being, the core of her person, gathering power in the truths she knew. She realized that those doubts were placed in her head by Ichaeruut in an attempt to discourage her from ever reaching Corus. That he had gone to such lengths to discourage them led her to another truth: he was frightened. He was frightened of what they could do with the power of the Six behind them.

Kel rested in her strength, remembering times spent at the Palace and people she knew and loved in her life. Their faces floated before her eyes as she fought her way through the storm of lies and deception.

Finally, with a halting gasp, she drew in a breath of fresh air and knew she had triumphed. The inner struggle she had fought was over, and her mind was clear once more. _I will _go_ to Corus,_ she thought decisively. It was time this quest, started so many months before, was brought to a finish.

Looking at Neal, she realized that he had gone through the same transformation she had, and that both their resolves were strengthened by it. He opened his eyes and gazed at her, bright green eyes piercing her soul.

"He knows we can do this," Neal spoke. "He knows we can, and he's scared."

"I know," Kel said softly.

There was a slight pause.

"Let's do it," she said.

"You're on."

They raced onwards.

After riding hard well into the next hour, Kel and Neal reached the outskirts of Corus. They pulled up short, disbelieving what lied before their eyes. They had known Corus was under attack, but this was the first time they had seen it put into reality.

It seemed that the Palace hadn't fallen yet, but it was well on its way down. Copper Islanders launched battlefire at the walls, and siege engines were still hard at work on the Palace gates.

The city itself was in ruins. Under attack by four countries, the commoners had given easily. Now, they had no choice but to let enemies of the Tortallan Crown live in their homes while being forced into slave labor to defeat their own country. It was, so to say, a sticky predicament.

"How in all the Realms are we ever going to pass? There must be three thousand foot soldiers alone between us and the Palace!" Kel wailed. Her ability to conceal her feelings had vanished as her fatigue grew.

Neal opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a loud bang. Both knights scrambled for weapons, thinking Ichaeruut had returned.

"Relax, little ones. 'Tis only me." Pitken's deep voice sent tremors of relief through Kel. She slid her sword back into its scabbard, having pulled it half out at the sound of the bang. Neal stopped trying to reach his arrows.

"Pitken, _what are we going to do_?" Kel's voice sliced through the early evening like a knife, plaintive and despairing and forlorn.

Even though Pitken was an immortal, a demi-god, he still had very human emotions. Those emotions were thrown into turmoil as soon as Kel voiced her plea. Even so, the gods had sent him down for one purpose and one purpose only, and he could no more disobey the gods than unmake himself.

When he finally spoke, Pitken's voice was kind and warm, and the Tortallans clung to it like a piece of wood in a raging ocean. "Little ones, I cannot help thee. I have been sent to thee with my task already allotted, and as much as I wish to change it, I cannot. I have come to tell you that the gods can help thee no longer. We, the immortals, who were here before and will remain after, have done all we can to assist thee. From hereafter, thou art on thine own. But know this: thy task will be done before today melts into tomorrow. For good or for bad, it will all have come to an end by midnight tonight."

Kel's heart sunk more with every word. The hope that had filled her at Pitken's appearance leaked out through her toes.

After Pitken finished speaking, Kel heard only a ringing in her ears; neither she nor Neal tried to speak. Eventually, the ringing was penetrated by the insistent pounding of the battering ram, thudding with the regularity of her heartbeat against the Palace gates. Pitken stood quietly, understanding their feelings.

Kel, always the rational one, tried to form a coherent sentence, but Neal beat her to it. "You're just going to leave us here? You're not even going to try and help us finish this, or even get inside?"

Sadly, Pitken shook his head, unkempt hair brushing his shoulders. "The gods have given me instructions; I cannot break them and help thee myself. However, I can tell thee that in order to find the safest way in, thee must think like a horse. No, not a horse. More like a fly, or a bug. An animal of some sort, surely."

Neal's eyes practically bulged out of his head. "A _what_? A _bug_? We're going up against the forces of five countries and you're telling us to think like _bugs_?" Kel let him rant; it was just as well that she was accompanied by Neal's infamous tongue, because if he hadn't have said that, she would have.

Pitken nodded serenely. " But now I must leave thee- I stay too long on hostile soil. Remember: just a few more hours, and everything will be over. I leave thee with the blessing of the Goddess and Mithros, and my own good luck. Thou have made it this far - go, and finish your quest!" Slowly, he faded from sight, like dusk fades into night.

"Oh, gods," Neal moaned. "This is it. It's over. There's no way. We can't do this."

"Stop it," Kel told him sternly. "There has to be a way inside, otherwise they wouldn't have contacted us at all. And I know we can find it -- Pitken said we could. Don't _you_ trust him?"

"I don't know . . . " Neal faltered. "It's just so hopeless -- there must be entire legions between here and the King's Garden!"

"Let's just try to figure out what Pitken meant by "think like an animal." Kel bit her lip and sat down, her back to a tree, her face forlorn. Peachblossom walked over, worried about his mistress. He nuzzled her shoulder with his big nose.

Absently, Kel reached up and stroked the silky hair on his nose. "What do you know, huh, horse?" she asked quietly and affectionately, thinking to herself. "Do _you_ know how to get into the castle?" she queried, chuckling to herself.

Peachblossom banged Kel's shoulder with his face. "Ow!" Kel said, frowning. "What's wrong with you?" Peachblossom hit her again. Neal watched the exchange with amusement, cradling Byrn in his arms. "What, you _do_ know how to get in?" Kel said, looking at her horse with incomprehension. Peachblossom stopped moving and stared at his mistress straight on.

A rush of energy raced through Kel's veins, giving her a second wind. She jumped to her feet. "Neal! Peachblossom apparently knows how to get in!"

"Really," Neal drawled. "I never would have guessed."

"Don't play like you don't believe it. You saw it just as clearly as I did: he was trying to tell us something!" Kel turned to her mount. "Can you take us to where we need to get?" Peachblossom nodded his big head. An eerie shiver ran down Kel's spine; she still couldn't get used animals acting so human. She shook off the weird feeling and continued her one sided conversation. "Fine. Take me there!" Kel mounted in one fluid motion, and Peachblossom took off.

A glance behind her assured Kel that Neal was following her lead, mounting Topaz and kicking her into a canter after Peachblossom.

Peachblossom stayed on the outer boundaries of the city, not letting any unfriendly eyes get a glimpse of them. He took Kel around the city to the left, until they were behind and to the southwest corner of the city, where the area between the city walls and the palace was only half a mile.

Suddenly, Peachblossom ground to a halt. He bounced up on his hind legs, jolting Kel's saddle. Kel dismounted, peering ahead. "Why'd you stop, Peachblossom? Is this the place?" She looked closely at the Palace walls, but didn't see anything different than normal. "What's the deal? There's no difference!" she asked her horse impatiently.

The horse gave an annoyed whinny and brushed up next to her, so his shoulder was pushing into her back.

Kel squinted, frowning. Something had just appeared on the Palace walls. From this far back, it almost looked like . . . a hole? Kel shook her head, thinking it was a problem from staring at the same place too long.

"Kel?" Neal's voice came. "Do you see what I see?" Peering backwards, Kel saw that Topaz had pushed up against her owner, and that he was squinting as well. "Is there suddenly a _hole_ in the Palace walls?"

"That's what it looks like," Kel answered, pursing her lips in thought. "But I can't think why we'd see it now."

"Wait . . ." Neal trailed off. Kel turned around expectantly. "I remember now! I overheard—"

"—Eavedropped—"

"—_overheard_ Daine and Alanna talking once, back when I was still a squire. Alanna asked how Daine could stand it, leaving her friends behind when she had to flee, and Daine said something about 'bolt holes,' like a magically protected hole for the animals to escape through. _That_ must be what that is!"

"Which would explain why we can see it only when the horses touch us!" Kel exclaimed, excited.

"But wouldn't the enemy be able to see it, then?" Neal asked, confused.

Kel bit her lip, thinking. "No . . . I bet because Daine told the Palace animals where the bolt hole was, so they could get out if they needed to. The enemies horses wouldn't know where that was, nor would they care to."

"So that clears _that _up. But there are still hundreds of — It looks like Scanrans again — between us and that hole! How will we get through?" Neal lamented.

At his words, Kel felt another nudge from her horse. She turned around, facing him. "You want us to mount again?" Peachblossom nodded. Shrugging, Kel mounted up, seeing Neal do the same. She was almost thrown off when Peachblossom bolted, straight towards the center of the Scanran camp, followed closely by Topaz, carrying Neal.

Hooves thundering, the two horses bounded over the makeshift boundary to the city, heading straight for the Palace. Startled Scanran faces hurtled past them as shouts of alarm reached their ears. The horses just kept running.

Within minutes, Peachblossom and Topaz reached the bolt hole and rode at full speed through the opening. The Scanran officers, seeing how much Chaos they had caused before running into a stone wall and disappearing, told the soldiers that it was the dead spirits of some Tortallan knights, and nothing else was thought about it.

Kel and Neal were inside the Palace.

They immediately dismounted. Kel gave Peachblossom a pat on the neck, telling him how smart he was for getting them inside before Neal placed a quick circle of protection around the horses.

Inside Kel's shirt, Byrn gave a feeble cry and shuddered. Terrified, Kel looked inside her shirt. The phoenix's eyes were closed. No flames ran across her body; No heat came from her any longer.

Kel's eyes burned. "Neal," she said, but her voice wouldn't work. She cleared her throat. "Neal."

He turned at the sound of her voice and came to her, seeing that Byrn glowed no longer. Neal bit his lip, blinking furiously. Kel gave in to her feelings and let tears trickle down her throat.

"There's no time to bury her," Neal said, his voice cracking. "Take her with us." Kel nodded as more tears fell, cradling Byrn's cold body inside her shirt. Both knights took off at a run for the King's Garden.

Entering the Palace through a side door, they got their bearings back. The hall was deserted; no sounds could be heard. It was eerie, running through the kitchen with no ovens roaring or chefs shouting. Their footsteps were the only thing that made noise.

It took three minutes of sprinting through the castle before they came out on the main hallway, by the banquet hall. Kel was accosted by memories as she remembered first receiving notion of her quest in that room.

As they passed the door of the banquet hall, they heard voices emanating from it. Both knights slid to a halt on the polished stone floor to listen.

Ichaeruut's unmistakable voice sounded through the door and into the hall. "You have served your purpose, _King_ Jonathan." He practically spat the word out. "You, and your useless family, will be executed at midnight, unless you promise to obey the will of the Realm of Chaos."

Jonathan's clear voice rang on the stone walls and floor, echoing with strength. "We will never give in to those who oppose the true gods of these Realms."

"Well, then," said Ichaeruut. "You have sealed your fate. Lock them in the dungeons, until tonight!"

Kel and Neal looked at each other, not saying a word, before turning and running again, towards the King's Garden.

"So that's what Pitken meant by, 'It'll all be over by midnight tonight,' " huffed Neal grimly. Kel shook her head and kept running, trying not to jostle Byrn too much.

Finally, after another four or five minutes' worth hard running, they came to the entrance of the Garden. Kel gasped out the password, and the magical door opened, allowing them access. She ran to the handle, crouching down and hitting it, as she had done before. The wall slid open.

She had taken two steps before Neal cried out.

Ichaeruut called her name.

"Keladry, Keladry, Keladry," he said with a sigh. "What are you planning to do now?" Turning, Kel saw with horror that he had Neal in a headlock, a long-bladed dagger at his throat.

"How did you get here?" she asked coldly.

"That is none of your concern right now, I should think. What am I going to do _now_ is the more relevant question."

Swallowing, Kel said, "Let him go." Her voice was hard.

Ichaeruut snorted. "Now, Keladry, am I really that stupid? Hmm . . . no, I don't think I'll let him go. _Unless_ . . . you give me the Six."

"Never." She spat out the words and took a step towards the Grotto.

Ichaeruut shoved the dagger higher, and Neal inhaled sharply. A stream of blood trickled down his tan neck, and he closed his eyes. Ichaeruut never wavered.

"Give them. Now. Or your _friend_ dies."

Kel felt helpless. What could she possibly do? Could she hand over the Six, and condemn the deaths of her countrymen, or hold them back and watch as the man she loved was murdered? Her brain whirled for the second time.

With her arms at her sides, her left forearm dangled against the pouch that held the Six. She felt a comforting heat, in steady pulses, coming from the bag.

Kel frowned. Were the Six actually trying to _communicate_ with her?

"Tsk, tsk, lady knight," called Ichaeruut cruelly. "Quicker decisions! Snap, snap!"

Kel's mind was decided. She unhooked her belt pouch, feeling the warmth grow stronger. Taking steps towards Ichaeruut, she held the pouch towards him. "Here," she said. "Take them."

"Kel, _no!_ Don't do it!" Neal cried, wild fear in his eyes.

Ichaeruut grabbed for the bag, frantic elation in his eyes. "At last!" he screamed. "At last, I have the Six! All the lands will bow under my domination!" He began to laugh, a frenzied, high-pitched cackle that made the hair on the back of Kel's neck stand up.

__

Come on, she thought at the Six. _Do something! This is _not _how it's supposed to end_!

Whether they heard her or whether her timing was right, the Six suddenly reacted violently. Ichaeruut broke off his cackle with a agonized scream. He dropped the bag, clutching his arm and almost weeping with pain. Neal, in his weakened hold, slammed the immortal in the stomach, momentarily winding him, then grabbed the bag and ran towards the door. "Come on!" he cried. Kel chased after him.

They took two steps into the Grotto and the wall slammed shut, closing out Ichaeruut's wailing cries. Kel and Neal looked at each other. "Well," Kel said finally. "We either succeed in here, or die out there." Neal said nothing.

Simultaneously, they walked quickly toward the circle containing the mosaics of all the gods and the statues of the animals.

"Okay," said Neal. "What do we do now?"

Kel recited the next part of the poem. "_Place all in thine sights; Use thy lessons well learned; Fly fire to ignite; and thy battle will be turned._"

"Right," said Neal. "Let's have a look around, then. Start with these statues." Kel nodded, and moved off toward the statue of the eagle. Neal went to go look at the bear.

The statue was exquisitely made, there was no contest about that. It looked almost ready to explode into flight. Kel started with the base and moved her way upwards. She noticed a small runic one carved into the stone at the eagle's feet, and drew out the First with a small inhalation of breath. _They must go together_, she thought excitedly.

She continued her examination upwards, until she reached the eyes. Kel caught her breath. One eye was missing.

"Place all in thine sight," she whispered, and pressed the first into the eagle's empty socket.

It shone suddenly, a brilliant green that made her shield her eyes. A beam of emerald light shone upwards at an angle, towards the center of the circle. Kel cried out in wonderment, and Neal turned at her voice with an amazed gasp.

"It's the eyes!" Kel cried. She drew out all of them from the pouch and moved around the circle, pressing each Stone into its corresponding place. When she had finished, she stepped back and took in the effect.

Six brilliantly colored beams shot from the eyes of the six statues, converging at the exact center of the wheel of gods.

"Fly fire to ignite," Kel whispered. She felt a pang in her heart, and opened her shirt to look at Byrn. To her horror, she realized that she was now carrying nothing but ash in her sling. The phoenix's body had burned away.

Before her startled eyes, the ashes burst into flame. Kel screamed with shock, trying to get the sling out from around her body. She dropped it, and strangely, the ashes didn't scatter. In fact . . .

"Neal!" she screamed. "It's Byrn!"

The phoenix rose from the ashes, flapping her wings serenely and looking exactly the same.

"Of course!" Neal shouted. "Phoenixes are reborn from the ashes of their deaths! How could we forget?"

Byrn didn't even seem to recognize them. She floated above the floor, gaining strength. The flames that sprang from her body burned brighter, and suddenly, she rose higher — straight into the point where the beams of light converged.

Byrn gave a trilling, piercing whistle, and Kel and Neal's worlds exploded.

A great burst of light and sound emanated from the conversion of light and phoenix. Kel and Neal were thrown back ten feet, unconscious.

***

At that second, around the very border of Tortall, a wall of sparkling white magical fire — the magic of the gods — rose fifty feet high. No enemy on the other side of the border could get through, but Tortallans could.

Everywhere the enemy was encamped, there were suddenly legions of sparkling white soldiers that fought with the fury of unstoppable whirlwinds. Those enemies who stayed were cut down like wheat, but most ran as fast as they could, far away. Anyone who looked upon those soldiers was struck down by a sense of awe none could experience ever again.

Tortallans were left unharmed.

Some enemies were lucky enough to make it back through the wall of flame to their own countries, but most were not.

In Corus, it was a peculiar thing. Every single man bent on destroying the Tortallan throne was instantly incinerated.

Except for Ichaeruut.

Ichaeruut was lifted to the Council of the Gods, and was given his punishment for disobeying the will of Mother Flame and Father Universe and using mortals as instruments. He was imprisoned until that same star that had to be born for Uusoae to be released had died.

The white legions stayed until every last man with a malicious intent was either driven from Tortall or slain. This included a number of Tortallans who were working as spies.

Tortall was free once more.

***

Kel and Neal came round at exactly the same instant, within two feet of each other. They pulled themselves upright, wincing; each had a raging headache.

Neal stared across, holding Kel's eyes. "We did it, Lady Knight Keladry."

Kel smiled back. "That we did, Sir Nealan."

They fell into each other's embrace.


	38. Epilogue

****

Hah! I told you I would finish, and I have! I win, I win, la la la la LA LA.

Oh, sad. This is REALLY the end! There's no more!

Now I'm really sad.

Well, in any case, here you are. I hope you like how I finished it off, because I couldn't stand it not happening . . . well, you'll know what I mean soon enough.

If you'll notice, this chapter does not sound like I wrote it. But I did. See "In Pursuit of Azure's Sadness" for details on how I have two different writing styles. It's actually quite strange; sometimes I feel like two different people. But who knows why I wrote like this for just the Epilogue . . . go figure.

I made a song to help me study for English! It's to the tune of Sarah McLoughlin's "Angel," and it starts like this:

Queen 'Lizabeth ruled

From 1558

to 1609.

The daughter of Henry Eight

And six fingered Anne

Who was beheaded when she was just three . . .

Et cetera, et cetera. It actually works!

Well, you've suffered enough. Here's the end of my fantabulous story!

Epilogue: A Conversation in the Garden

In the weeks following its invasion, Tortall began to rebuild itself. Just because the enemy was gone did not mean the country was suddenly restored. Ransacked cities were still in ruins; those who had passed from the Mortal Realms during the war were not resurrected.

Gradually, the war came to be known as the War of the Phoenix, although the reason for that was not widely known.

Kel and Neal told King Jonathan the true, unadulterated version of their quest, of course. They both also shared the true events with their close friends and family, but even so, most of the nobility found out. Strangely enough, no one ever mentioned it to either of them except for those who had been told by one of the two.

Within the first week, Kel and Neal attended several memorials, held for friends and acquaintances that had been killed during the war. These included Sir Yancen of Irenroha, Sir Gareth the Younger of Naxen, and Owen's cousin, the first year whom Kel had helped with his staffwork. Many of the Palace's work force had lost their lives for standing up to Ichaeruut's intruders.

Although it was never openly announced, members of the Court found it obvious that Lady Knight Keladry and Sir Nealan had progressed well beyond the best friend stage in their relationship. They were together as much as humanly possible, and it wasn't an uncommon sight to see them strolling in the gardens, holding hands and oblivious to the world. While their friends were used to seeing Neal act in such a manner, they were astounded to see Kel, the Yamani Lump, so relaxed.

Concerning the Byrn: The phoenix was yet another part of their quest that the general public did not know the details of, but accepted all the same. She was adored by the nobility and commoners alike -- especially among the children of both groups.

While the commonality did not know in detail what happened to change the outcome of the war and cause the White Legions (as they came to be know) to descend to the earth, it was recognized that both Kel and Neal had a major part in bringing that change about. For the first few weeks, they were treated with a kind of frightened reverence that irritated Kel and caused Neal to feel flattered. However, with the passing of time, that feeling faded as well, and they were soon treated like normal people once again.

The wall of white fire stayed around the border for exactly five days afterward, discouraging any whom might have otherwise thought to return.

Strangely, when Kel and Neal awoke in the Grotto, they discovered that the Six had vanished, leaving only empty sockets behind. The writing in the center of the wheel depicting the gods had vanished as well, leaving only three words: "Until next time." In private, the two knights decided that the gods had reclaimed such powerful objects until they were needed once more.

With that, I will leave you.

But first, I present you with a scene that took place in the Royal Gardens, perhaps three or four months after the events chronicled here.

Kel and Neal on the neatly trimmed grass of the Royal Gardens, very close to a budding apple tree. Through the flowery branches, the bluest sky was visible, with only wisps of clouds, and it was on this sky their attentions were focused. Byrn was on one of her minor excursions with the children of the Palace, so it was just the two of them.

They lay in such a way that their heads were next to each other, but their bodies went in opposite directions. Neal's right hand was placed over his head, so he just touched Kel's cheek. Kel's right arm was positioned in such a way that it lay over Neal's upper chest, just below his chin.

Remarkably, they were both comfortable.

A companionable silence surrounded them, but it was soon broken by Neal's voice. "So . . ." he murmured. "How long do you think it will be until they give us a real job again?"

Despite her inclination to remain silent, a happy chuckle bubbled up inside of Kel, and she broke out into laughter. She was practically the happiest she had ever been -- it was a somewhat unusual feeling, but as of right then, she really didn't have a care in the world. Her country was safe, she was in love, and everyone was leaving them alone. It was paradise.

"I hope it takes them a while. I have nothing I want to do than laze around all day. Oh, except for next week, when we go home," she answered, smiling.

Neal sat up. He scooted along the ground until he was sitting next to her still stretched-out form, and looked at her seriously.

"Kel," he began. "Concerning that . . . I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Go ahead," she told him, stretching on the ground.

Neal watched her move. "Uh . . ." he stuttered, forgetting his words.

Kel sat up. "Oh, come on. Out with it!"

To her amazement, Neal blushed, a red flush that spread up his tan cheeks.

"What is the matter with you?" she demanded, amused. "You're never this nervous! Spit it out!"

"When we go home, do you want to come to . . . er . . . my home?" Neal asked, looking down.

She touched his chin, made him look at her. "What?"

"Come home with me next week?" he asked desperately, looking her straight in the eyes.

She still didn't get it. "Neal, whatever you're trying to say, just say it!"

"Illooarrime?" Neal blurted, then blushed even redder.

"Come again?" Kel asked, blinking furiously. _If he just said what I thought he did_ . . .

Neal took a deep breath. "Kel, will you marry me?"

There was another silence, but this time it lasted for only scant seconds before Kel threw herself at Neal, tackling him and kissing him soundly. "Of course I will, you idiot," she whispered against his lips. "Of course I will." She closed her eyes for more, and felt his arms rise around her.

A group of Court ladies, nearby in the garden, saw them kissing and tittered nervously, but neither one noticed. They were too wrapped up in each other.

***

The wedding took place a month or so later, and it was decidedly unconventional. Dom was Neal's best man, and Kel's "maid" of honor was none other than Sir Raoul. When asked about it, she only shrugged and said, "What else was I supposed to do? Name one female that I know better than him."

No one could.

For the wedding, Neal wore a dark blue tunic that shimmered in the light, and Kel could be seen in an elaborate Yamani kimono, stitched especially for her with images of phoenixes, since there was no way in any Realm she would wear a classic wedding gown.

The wedding was planned as a small one, but both parties just kept inviting more people, and more people . . . until it was decided it would be an open wedding, on the front lawn of the Palace.

Almost half the city attended. Kel and Neal were by now rising to national legend -- the courageous pair who defeated the agent of Chaos, and fell in love along the way.

When they kissed, the sound was deafening.

****

AAAAAHHHHHH! I'm REALLY done! Oh no!

I have a few thank yous that need to get done.

First, to stacey (cami of queenscove, doncha know): you are AWESOME. You gave me so many ideas and your hyperness made me want to write. It was great. Go hugh jackman! Can't wait for X-men 2! (not that I've seen X-men 1. Oh well.)

Secondly, rose (rosefyre, of course!): you are hilarious. Many conversations you helped me majorly. Especially with guy reactions. Teehee! Happy we!

Thirdly, min (the blind assassin.): your amazing writingness INSPIRED me. heehee. Seriously though, very muchly I thank you for spurring my brain for new ideas. Have you gotten started on our bet yet? *smiles sweetly* _iiiiiiiiii_ already have a plot! Sort of.

Lastly, to all my bee-yoo-tee-ful reviewers. You stuck with me through thirty-eight chapters and were the motivation behind everything I wrote. Now I'm addicted to reviews.

Wow, I feel like I just won an oscar. Or something to that degree. Weird.

For anyone who cares (i.e. no one) I wrote an uncut version of chapter nineteen. BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO! Stacey made me. I SWEAR! SHE DID! Anyway, it's called *gasp* search for the six and it's rated R and it's just neal and kel . . . well, you know.

As I mentioned before, I am addicted to reviews, and if I don't get my fix I get cranky and go through withdrawal. Now, people, this is the last time you will EVER hear (see) me say (write) this: please, please, PLEASE review! I love it when you do! Even if it's an "I hate it" or an "I love it," PLEASE tell me what you think!

Thanks to everyone! Good night!

*over the loudspeakers: "kate has left the building."*


End file.
